Ripped Apart
by Purple Duskywing
Summary: A tragic accident has left Vidia traumatized, depressed, angry and scarred both inside and out. In the blink of an eye, her wings are gone forever. What good is a fast-flyer who cannot fly? A dramatic, inspirational story about her journey of healing.
1. The Attack

**Hello, people of the earth! I'm back after a super-long absence from fanfic writing. Over a year ago, I deleted all of my stories due to a bunch of reasons. (Harsh criticism, lack of confidence, Social Anxiety, etc.) But now I'm back because I realized I've been missing it! Fanfics are so much fun to read and write. So I'm re-posting some of my old works. I could only find 2 that hadn't been thrown out, so this really feels like a fresh start.**

 **This is the very first story I ever shared with anyone. I'm a big Disney Fairies fan, and Vidia is my favorite due to her sassiness and attitude. Makes for a great character to write about. This story turned out to be a very inspiring tale and I'm very proud of it. I hope you enjoy reading!**

Ripped Apart: A Tinkerbell Fanfic

Chapter One: The Attack

Surely nothing was as glorious as flying! The weightlessness, the rush of wind across your skin, the excitement, the feeling of freedom it gave her was indescribable.

She was enjoying a carefree morning, flying at top speed with wings a blur and pixie dust trailing in her wake. She was full of adrenaline, heart pumping with glee. Beads of sweat had gathered on her face. Every muscle was focused as she twisted and turned through the branches. The close-grown trees created challenges when it came to steering.

Earlier, Vidia had done a chore of helping to scatter seeds in a flower field. Now she had the rest of the morning all to herself. Then was nothing she loved more than a fast-paced flight across a challenging course. The forest was full of animal talents; she spotted some fairies playing with young squirrels on a branch—but only briefly since she was going too fast they appeared no more than blurs.

She ignored any yelps of surprise. A few shouts of, "Hey, watch it!" barely registered. A whole team of fairies scattered in a cloud of pixie dust as she barreled on through.

Vidia glanced over her shoulder and smirked in amusement at their annoyed faces. What fun! Ignoring the angry shouts, she zipped back into the branches; time to practice her maneuvering skills. It was tough; some gaps between the leaves were barely big enough to fly through. Vidia was also quite tall for a fairy, but she only viewed this as another test for twisting through the branches. She had gotten so good at this exercise that she emerged in the canopy completely unscathed.

"Yes!" she congratulated herself. "Not a scratch! Oh, if only someone were around to see that." Sometimes, it was fun to show off in front of an audience.

She tidied her tangled ponytail and smoothed the feathers of her skirt. It was a habit done after a reckless flight. There was really no point to it right now, since she was far too happy to stop. Maybe she would try a free-fall…they were dangerous stunts, but oh so exhilarating. Normally her face was in a scowl, but at this moment, it was lit up in sheer joy.

She sped up through the canopy, past more fairies at work. Some were tinkers, loading up breakable pinecones onto pulley systems to be lowered down to the forest floor. More animal talents were here, too, chatting happily or shooing off any squirrels trying to disrupt the morning chores. Vidia smirked her familiar smirk and shook her head. How boring some of the talents seemed; hardly any excitement seemed to happen.

She found a nice open clearing for her free-fall. The forest floor was at least a hundred feet down. She took a deep, long breath, somersaulted in mid-air, and careened head first in a dive. She pulled in her wings so they lay motionless against her body. Her hands were clenched and her heart pounded almost painfully from the adrenaline. She was falling so fast that the wind became a whistle. The leaf-strewn forest floor grew closer…closer…at the very last second, she created a huge gust of wind that swept her up a few inches. She performed an elegant twirl to break the fall. Pixie dust swirled to gather on her outstretched wings, and the ordeal left her quit winded.

All the adrenaline had left Vidia a bit drained, so she fluttered down to an old log to rest and catch her breath. Overhead, the tinkers were still lowering bushels of nuts and pinecones. What could they be using them for, anyway? She chuckled. "Tinkers…what a life!"

"Miss Vidia! Miss Vidia!" an accented voice called down. "Are you hurt at all, lass?"

A scrawny tinker dressed in leafy green clothes and dew drop spectacles, dropped down on the log and came running over. A larger tinker landed with a 'THUD' not far behind. Tinkerbell was seen the distance, struggling to catch up due to an armful of acorns that she refused to let anyone else have.

 _Clank and Bobble. Ugh!_ Vidia thought to herself. She got along with all of her friends well enough, but these two could be quite annoying at times. She stood up, ready to take off again and not willing to wait for Tinkerbell to catch up.

"Wait, Miss Vidia! We saw you free-fall! That's an incredibly dangerous stunt, you know."

"Yeah! You didn't, you know, hit your head or anything, did you?" Clank scratched his ear, wondering how the fast-flyer was unharmed after such a feat.

"For your information, I fell on purpose!"

"What'd you wanna do that for?" Clank puzzled. "Falling sounds like an awfully scary business."

"That's why I do it, Clank. For the thrill of it! It's no trouble if you know what you're doing."

Bobble rumpled his naturally messy red hair. "Well, it still sounds risky. Please be careful. It's be terrible if anything bad happened."

"Did you two not hear me? I said I know what I'm doing!" she flew off in a huff. Couldn't they mind their own business? Now her wonderful mood was spoiled.

Tinkerbell finally reached Clank and Bobble, with the armful of acorns in tow. "What was that all about? I didn't even get to say 'Hi." Her friends merely shrugged, knowing that Vidia was a bit temperamental at times.

Back in the air, Vidia made another practice of aerial twists and turns in the higher branches. Leaves rustled or broke from the trees entirely as she passed. A large spider web nearly stopped her, but she flattened her wings and shot through a space easily. The spider didn't even notice. To lighten her mood, she flipped, and spun gracefully like a dancer. The ground went farther and farther away, until finally Vidia broke out into open sky. Sunshine beat down to make her wings glitter beautifully.

Her smile lit up once again. A happy laugh almost escaped her—a sound she rarely made. The only times she did laugh was in solitude; high up above Pixie Hollow, where no one could bother her. She could enjoy doing what she loved most: flying fast and furiously, being the very best at her talent.

A few lookout towers were spotted in the highest pines. Fairies were always posted up here to watch for hawks and other birds of prey. Not a single bird was in sight, though. Vidia took some time to swoop around gleefully before making another dive back into the canopy.

"Morning, Vidia!" a new voice called out.

Vidia stopped mid-flight and made an exasperated face. _What now?_

It was Fawn, waving from a nearby branch. "C'mon down! I want to show you something! It's amazing!"

 _It had better be amazing if it has to drag me out of the sky._ She didn't feel much like socializing with her friends. Today was one of those days when all she wanted was some time alone.

"Quietly! Don't make a sound." Fawn urged.

"Why not?"

"Shh! C'mere…" the animal fairy crouched slightly and tiptoed along the branch towards the trunk. "It happened early today, I bet. Yesterday I was checking up on them, and knew it wouldn't be long."

"Long until what? I have important things to do, you know."

"Shh! You'll scare them."

Nestled near the trunk was a bird's nest. Fawn was always chipper and happy when it came to the animals, but this time seemed more cautious. She led Vidia over to the nest's brim. Peeking down, the fairies saw four newly hatched birds. Tiny, helpless, wrinkled and featherless; they were so new to the world that they moved their heads about blindly in search of their mother. A pathetic 'peep' emitted from them every other second. "Have you ever seen anything so precious? Springtime is the best time of year—the baby animals always need a bit of help from us. Saffron—she's the mother bird—has been letting me watch over the eggs. She went to go gather some worms for the babies so I get to sit with them! How incredible is this?!"

"Fawn, don't take this the wrong way, but all baby birds look the same to me." Vidia put a hand on her hip.

"But Vidia, you've got to admit—"

"Sure, I'll admit they're cute. But if you don't mind, I've got to be flying. Animals are _your_ thing, sweetheart. Not mine."

Fawn looked a little hurt. But knew Vidia had a mind of her own, so she waved goodbye as the fast flyer took off once again.

"Honestly!" Vidia mumbled to herself. "Maybe I should just head out to the meadows. How can I have any fun if everyone keeps pestering me?"

In a quest for solitude, she sped off into a more remote area of the woods. The trees were thicker and leafier here. A good deal more shade was cast; not as inviting as the glades, so not as many fairies were found. Only a pair of light talents was here, trying to pull a few beams of sunshine down into the shadows. They seemed occupied enough, and wouldn't bother her.

A tall, slender tree caught her attention. This looked like fun. She flew down to its base; how fast could she spiral all the way up to the sky? Only one way to find out…a few seconds later, she exploded through the canopy back into open air. She was dizzy from circling the trunk, but so happy! This time she allowed herself to laugh out loud with joy.

That moment was when it happened.

She didn't even see it coming. Didn't even register the lookouts' warnings; they came too late.

A shadow enveloped her. She felt scaly talons snap around her body; that was when her laughter became a gasp of surprise and pain. The world only existed as a plume of feathers, sharp claws and her own beating heart. No sounds existed except for its shriek of triumph. Its golden eyes pierced into her terrified face.

Vidia had never experienced true terror. When Tinkerbell first arrived in Pixie Hollow, their mishap with another hawk had been nothing compared to this. She struggled against her captor's grip. The talons were like knives, cutting and cleaving into her. Every tear seemed to rip down to the bone. She kept squirming in vain. She tried to scream, but no sound came out…

No! She didn't want to go like this…

The hawk beat his silent winds and began carrying her away. But his prey partly pulled out of his claws. She almost escaped…

Vidia felt her torso being snatched viciously once again as the hawk got a better grip on her. For a moment, she was forced to stare into those petrifying eyes. This was it…she breathed into the pain and waited for it all to end…her face was pale with fear. She didn't realize she was drenched in her own blood…all sounds seemed to grow quieter as this became more surreal.

The hawk used his talons to tear into her again. Oh, the agony was too much! She felt white-hot stinging pain all through her torso, on her arms and face. Warm blood soaked into her clothes. Why didn't the hawk just kill her quickly and get it over with? She went limp with exhaustion. One arm dangled down, blood dripping softly into the woods below…

The hawk then jerked strangely. It did it again with a squawk of surprise. Something was attacking it! Showers of stones and pebbles were pelting it from all angles. A few good shots hit it straight in the face. The hawk was confused; too many lookout fairies were bombarding him. They shouted bravely in his ears. Everyone was armed with a slingshot, ready to fight.

"Aim for the face!" someone ordered. "Don't hit Vidia, whatever you do!"

The hawk took a few hits to the eye. It was enough to release his grip on the semi-conscious fairy. He then flew off in annoyance; there was easier prey to hunt elsewhere.

Vidia was vaguely aware of falling. She fell into the canopy, barely awake, where the branches became another savior. She tumbled sorely into a large crease in the wood and lay still.

It was over.

The lookouts were still shouting after the hawk to drive him off. A few called her name, some having not seen her fall.

The tumble knocked some sense into her. Breathing hard, she pushed herself ever so slowly to her hands and knees. She raised a heavy head to look into the shaft of light through which she had fallen, up to where it had all happened.

Vidia had yet to realize that up there in the glorious sunshine, her life had changed in an instant.

 **Ahh. It's great to be posting something again. I'll be updating every couple of days, if you want to know what happens next! Please be polite if you feel like reviewing! Thanks! :)**


	2. Aftermath

**Hello to all the readers, both old and new! Reviews have already arrived and it is so nice to hear from you all! Everyone is being so encouraging and polite. A quick word to any former readers: I've done a tiny bit of editing since this was last posted, so there may be a few changes here and there. But it's the same tale, through and through. Enjoy reading, everybody!**

Chapter Two: Aftermath

It had happened so fast…

Vidia stayed on her hands and knees, too dazed to speak, cry for help, or make full sense of it all. Voices of the lookout fairies called out for her. They sounded muffled and distant—she must have fallen quite a ways into the trees. She was wide-eyed and shivering from the shock. She had been attacked by a hawk; that much she knew. Pain pulsed through her entire body but her voice didn't seem to be working.

She sat back on her heels to examine the wounds. There wasn't much time—she could tell she was going to faint.

With horror, she realized she was squatting in a pool of her own blood. Gashes ran along each arm and along her face. Her hair had come undone and was stained red. Her legs seemed to be alright, but her torso was so mangled…every inch of her back and shoulders had been slashed. Many cuts ran all the way around onto her abdomen, bleeding freely. The worst were three huge tears across her back. She couldn't see them, but they ran very deep, drenching her.

Vidia acted fast. There was so much blood…she was fainting quickly. Her clothes had been very torn up. She pulled her feather skirt apart and used them as makeshift bandages. The worst of the wounds she bound as tightly as she could, given her lack of strength. It was too painful to bear! Before she was finished, she gave a weak cry and collapsed. This couldn't be happening…

The woods went black.

…

News of a hawk attack was never welcome in Pixie Hollow. They killed several fairies a year. Queen Clarion had attended every one of the memorial services personally, for every fairy in Neverland was dear to her; never before had there been a survivor.

The lookouts had found Vidia's mangled figure in the branches. Bloody, ragged and literally ripped apart. But she was alive. They had wrapped up the wounds with leaves and used a scrap of bark as a stretcher. The fast-flyer had been brought to the hospital in no time at all.

Word quickly spread to all ears.

Among the first to know were Fawn and Tinkerbell. They arrived at the hospital's waiting area not long after Vidia's admittance. Other patients who were waiting outside to get in included a fellow who glowed with excess sunlight (not an emergency) and two others who were hopelessly tangled in sticky spider webs (also not an emergency).

"Tink, this is a nightmare!" Fawn gasped as they flew down, breathless. "It must've happened right after I met her in the woods. I saw her less than an _hour_ ago!"

Tink rang the buzzing beetle to call the receptionist. "Calm down, calm down. I'm sure she's all right—she's a tough fairy…" but even brave Tinkerbell was scared. During that summer on the mainland, she and Vidia had finally put aside their rivalry and become friends. She would hate for anything bad to happen to her.

The spectacled receptionist drew back the leaf curtain to see them. "Hello, dears. Patient's name?"

"Vidia." Fawn and Tink chorused.

With that, the receptionist grew grave. "Oh, my. The poor thing is in Room 12 being attended to." She lowered her voice. "She's lost a lot of blood. I don't know how bad the damage is, I'm afraid, but your friend is lucky to be alive."

"Can we see her?" Tink begged.

"Not yet. Wait here and I'll check in on the healers."

The two friends stumbled in shock over to the waiting area. It was outside, amongst the shady grass with some flowers towering overhead. The hospital itself consisted of an entire tree. The rooms could be found down around the roots. Medics, nurses and doctors in uniform fluttered from room to room, tending to all the patients. However, more seemed to be heading up to the higher rooms—one in particular—with anxious faces.

The receptionist returned a minute later. Her face was very white. "The patient won't be receiving visitors—"

"Until when?!" Tink interrupted. "We _have_ to go in and see her!"

"You can see her when the doctors have finished tending to her. Not her several hours, at least. There's been…a lot of damage."

"How much? What happened to her?"

But the receptionist would tell them no more.

Silvermist, Rosetta, and Iridessa arrived. At first they didn't notice the others and approached the desk, but Tink stopped them. "It's no good, you guys. We can't get in for a few hours."

Dess clasped her hands. "Fawn, you were in the woods this morning; did you see what happened? Were you there?"

"No; just heard about it after the lookouts found her. If they hadn't been there…I can't imagine! They used slingshots on the hawk to scare him off, and he dropped her into the branches then. That's all I know."

The group was too worried to say much more. The day had started out so wonderfully. Just doing chores or playing out in the meadows or down by the river. Sil had finally perfected a trick involving a fish inside a hovering orb of water. Rosetta had begun plans for a new flower garden by her house. Dess's morning had been very busy up in the clouds with the other light fairies; it was hard aiming just the right amount of sunshine into a newly seeded field. Dess gave a shudder—that field had been the one Vidia helped sow earlier.

Tinkerbell tried to offer a bit of comfort to everyone. She suggested solemnly, "C'mon. Let's find some get-well gifts for her. She'll enjoy them, I'm sure of it. We can come back later."

They all agreed with a silent nod. None of them had expected such a horrifying event to end the morning. Vidia was always so sarcastic, short-tempered and rude; always going on about how rare fast-flyers were or showing off her own speed. Despite her faults, they had all come to love her.

…

An entire day passed before Vidia woke up.

The first thing she saw was a large leafy curtain across the entrance to the room; a privacy screen that she didn't understand the reason for. Why was it there? Why wasn't she waking up in her own house? It took another minute to realize where she was…The hospital? Why was she _here_ , of all places?

Sunlight penetrated through a slight gap in the curtain. It lit up the room pleasantly. Without moving, Vidia looked around at the shelves full of medical instruments, rolls of ribbon bandages, bottles of colorful liquids, and a huge magnifying glass. On the wall were some coat hooks. A basket of blankets was on the floor. She twisted her head to see some nature paintings on another wall—done by some of the art talents, no doubt. This was when she realized she was propped up on her side by many cushions. She moved a hand to grip the edge of the bed, which was fashioned out of a large seashell. The movements made her head spin and forced her to lie down again.

"Miss Vidia?" an accented voice whispered.

To her surprise, Bobble and Fawn poked their heads in. Bobble's glasses magnified his eyes alarmingly; it was easy to see the extreme worry in them.

Carefully, Vidia twisted around on her back. Pain coursed through her torso like aching fire. She gasped in agony. Everything about the attack came rushing back in an instant. She remembered it all.

Seeing her discomfort, Fawn rushed in to help her sit up slowly. "Whoa, take it easy…don't tear anything else."

"How are you?" Bobble asked, lingering near the door.

"Ugh…it hurts…what happened?"

They told her about the previous day. How all of Pixie Hollow was scared for her and trying to visit, and how the doctors had saved her and stitched up all the torn skin. Some parts of her back had had exposed bone. As Fawn became more distraught and Bobble just went on talking, Vidia managed to fully sit up and examine herself. The soft flower petal blanket was not very comforting right now.

In place of her clothes, there were leaf and ribbon bandages covering her. A few were wrapped around each arm as well. Her torso was the worst of it, though. She felt lots of padding underneath it all. Things must be very shredded up; the pain she was really becoming more aware of now. The fire spread deep down into her back, right into her spine and shoulders. It was almost embarrassing, wearing nothing but bandages. She hastily tried to cover up more with her hair. Someone had left it unbound, having washed it clean so that not a trace of blood remained.

"…and hawk attacks always end so tragically! I can hardly believe it." Fawn was saying. She looked as if this was the most sorrowful day in existence.

"Now lass…" Bobble addressed not to Fawn, but to Vidia herself. "You must not be scared."

"The hawk is _gone_ now, you two! You're both overreacting a little. I just need some rest and time to heal up." Vidia tried to lie back, but sat up again upon learning this caused too much discomfort. She gritted her teeth. "I won't be flying above the forest anytime soon; what a stupid idea! I should have thought of hawks."

"Well…there's a wee bit of a problem now, Miss Vidia," Bobble spoke softly; almost inaudibly. He was wringing his hands and his over-sized eyes were sad. "Haven't you realized?"

Vidia stared at him, then at Fawn with a frown.

Fawn hung her head, while he managed to stammer the words. "Your back…when the hawk…erm…"

A sick moment of understanding came. Ice cold fear polluted Vidia's veins. She shuddered in terror. Her grey eyes closed to try and stay calm…with one hand, she reached behind her. Hopes and prayers zoomed through her head. What they were suggesting couldn't be true. It just couldn't! She was a _fast-flyer_ …

Her hand felt the wrappings of bandages. Nothing more. The hawk's talons had taken her precious wings.


	3. Self-Conscious

**Without further delays, here is chapter 3, all about Vidia's release from the hospital. Enjoy!**

Chapter Three: Self-Conscious

Even after a week of confinement at the hospital, the truth did not sink in.

Once Fawn and Bobble had left, the healers decided not to allow visitors for the sake of Vidia's injuries. The severe blood loss left her completely exhausted. The nurses also kept feeding her an herbal brew for the pain, which had a side effect of making her sleepy. Every time she awakened, she would reach behind her, expecting to feel something; anything! This must be a horrible nightmare. Any minute she would wake up in her own bed, with strong wings firmly attached. But as the days stretched on, she began losing hope.

The bandages were changed often; each time the nurse stripped off the leaves, Vidia cringed and held back tears. The pain was pure torture, but the nurse tried to be comforting. As the wounds and many, many stitches were cleaned and checked over, Vidia kept her eyes shut tight. If the hawk's handiwork looked as bad as it felt, she preferred not to see it.

Visitors were being turned away. However, this didn't stop the constant flow of gifts. Across the (now cluttered) room were various things from those close to her. Pretty decorations of woven spider silk, toys built by tinkers to keep boredom away, a fresh raspberry to eat, and an abundance of colorful feathers. Normally Vidia adored feathers—but at the moment, they only reminded her of birds. Not the best things to be thinking of right now. A strange puzzle box had been sent by Tinkerbell, and Silvermist had had a seashell sculpture delivered. As a surprise, a jar of iced candies arrived via owl from Periwinkle, all the way from the Winter Woods. For a fairy to go to so much trouble just to mail a get-well present…Peri really was Tink's sister.

The gift Vidia appreciated most was a set of new clothes from a fellow fast-flyer: a pair of violet-petal pants and a loose-fitting shirt with sleeves. They left room for the bandages as well as covered them from prying eyes. There was also a long purple feather for putting her hair back into its old ponytail.

With an entire week of resting, her wounds had been healing well. Today was hopefully the last hospital day. She expected the head healer to arrive soon to check up on her, like she did every morning. So she dressed in the new clothes, getting ready to leave at a moment's notice. There were no mirrors in here, but for that she was relieved. She still wasn't ready to look at her mutilated torso.

 _This is humiliating…how can I face the others looking like this?_ She perched on the edge of the seashell bed; time to wait for the final checkup.

The leaf curtain rustled, and Fawn's head poked through unexpectedly. "Hi," she said quietly. "The nurses let me in, finally. So, how have you been?" she ventured in and sat down.

"It still hurts, but I'm fine…if the checkup goes well, I can get out of here today."

"That's why I'm here, actually. Clank and Bobble are outside, too. We thought we'd help you down out of the tree."

Vidia frowned. "Help me down?!"

"Well, yes." Fawn insisted, not unkindly.

Of course. Room 12 was higher up in the tree's roots. The only way to get down was by flying. Who designed this hospital, anyway? The fact that Fawn, Clank and Bobble were here almost made it worse; they had been the last three to see her in one piece, wings and all.

"Hold on, how am I going to get up to my house?"

"We can do that too, Vidia. It'll just be us, and the others. Don't worry about running into anybody else."

Vidia sighed and buried her face in her hands. She wasn't sure if she wanted anyone to see her at all; what would they all say?

The hospital released her shortly after with instructions to change the bandages once a day and keep an eye on the wounds to make sure nothing got infected.

"Return here every other day, so we can be sure you're healing properly," the doctor explained. "With rest, you'll have all the stitches out in about a fortnight."

Fawn stayed during the final checkup for support, but Vidia was very reluctant to show her the wounds. Upon seeing the best fast-flyer without a pair of wings, Fawn made the most sorrowful face and was barely able to hold back her pity. She held it together, though, and led Vidia outside.

It was a beautiful spring day in Pixie Hollow. Bright sunshine hit all the right places, insects buzzed or crawled along their merry ways, and from this room, one could see all the way down the pathway that led from the hospital to the big maple tree. Wildflowers bloomed all along it, adding a perfect dash of color. The trees overhead rustled lush and green…At the sight of few birds going by, Vidia took an involuntary step back.

The roots leading up to her room plunged straight down in a twisted drop. There was no way to climb down whatsoever.

"Hello, Vidia," Clank waved while hovering in front of her. "Step right on over to the edge, now. Bobble and I have this brilliant idea to get'cha down!"

"That's right, Miss," said Bobble as cheerily as he could. The two of them grasped each other's forearms, so as to make a chair of sorts. "Just have a seat and we'll lower you down ever so gently."

"Yeah. It's the smartest way since your accident—"

"Clank!" Bobble hissed, warning him not to mention it.

They were extremely careful. One pair of arms went under her knees and the other across her back, where most of the stitches were. She held on to their shoulders, and with Fawn monitoring, she reached the ground easily enough. With a groan, she realized she would have to pass through the hospital's waiting area…"Exactly how many fairies are sitting out there?"

"Only five or six," Fawn checked. "They won't look at you."

"They'd better not!"

"Miss Vidia, what if we just carried you home? It would save you the trouble."

"Oh no, you're not. I'm _walking._ I intend to preserve what dignity I've got left! There's a less-travelled route back to my plum tree. Let's go."

As Vidia marched determinedly past the waiting patients, she did her best to ignore the sorry, pitiful looks they sent her way. Some of them whispered behind her back. At the last minute, she bolted behind a thick tuft of grass to hide. They had been staring, she was sure! She crossed her arms and glared angrily. Who would've thought something as simple as leaving the hospital would be so hard?

Fawn caught up. "Vidia, relax," she reassured. "Tink and the others are up ahead on the path. We've all wanted to see you."

"No. Not like this. I am missing my _wings_ , for goodness' sake!"

"It's only us! No one else, I promise."

A few tries later, Fawn convinced Vidia to come out onto the open oath. The wingless fairy protested with fury. But she wanted to get home with pride; hiding in the grass would accomplish nothing. Still, it was nerve-wracking having her friends see her in such a way. This had to be the worst thing that could happen to a fairy.

Tink, Dess, Ro, and Sil rushed over and all started talking at once. "Vidia!" "Are you okay?" "You're not still in pain, are you?" "Why did they start turning away visitors?" "We've all been so scared." "Queen Clarion was in tears when she heard the news." "Oh sugar, I'm so sorry this happened." "Periwinkle wants to see you at the border when you're up to it."

Questions and cries of both joy and pity blasted Vidia from all sides. Iridessa actually hugged her. This sent ripples of fiery pain down her spine and she cried out in discomfort. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Dess backed off. "I forgot."

"Whoa, whoa! Everybody calm down! I'm alright."

"You most certainly are not, sugar," said Rosetta in a matter-of-fast way. "For one thing, you are so patched up you can barely move, and another thing—"

"Ro! I don't need a lecture. I just want to go home. _Without_ a scene, if you don't mind?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, honey. C'mon, then. We'll fly you back—"

"Walk, if you don't mind. I suppose I have to get used to it now." Vidia's voice faltered slightly. She began marching off down the path with her head held high. The others all became quiet; many of them with uncomfortable looks.

Vidia herself felt the many sets of eyes boring into her, staring at her empty back. It was a terrible moment.

…

The sour plum tree where Vidia lived was quite the walk from the hospital. She chose to live apart from the few other fast-flyers. Solitude was more her style; there was more privacy, something she could use right about now. It was a bent, twisted old plum tree, full of knots, nooks and crannies. The dark green foliage offered plenty of shade, not letting in much sunlight. The leaves almost hid her entire house from view. The only problem remaining was getting there.

"Please, lass, it's really not a bother for Clank and I to—"

"For the last time, Bobble, _no_!" Vidia kept insisting.

Tinkerbell sped up to walk beside her. "Vidia, don't you think we should talk about this? I mean…so much has happened!"

Her face hidden from her friends, Vidia ignored the searing pain throughout her torso. She never stopped walking. "Not now, Tink."

So the group went on. They all remained on solid ground out of politeness, respect, and to keep Vidia company. By surrounding her, she was more or less hidden from other passing fairies. Silvermist and Clank made small talk the entire way past the Pixie Dust Tree. Their carefree voices filled the awkward silence and in a way, it was soothing.

The Pixie Dust Tree rose grandly on the upcoming hill, but Vidia was leading down the quieter route through a daisy field. She couldn't help pausing to gaze at the Tree. Until now, it had been easy to take for granted. Glittering gold dust floated about like a fog, flowing off into waterfalls to gather in the trunk. A cup of dust was like a source of instant happiness for Vidia. Now she knew it would be pointless to come here for her daily allotment.

"The day of the attack was my last time here…" she murmured to no one in particular.

Sil, Fawn and Tink all moved to put comforting hands on her shoulder, but Vidia bit her lip and continued walking.

The journey through the daisy field took forever! Rosetta ended up flying ahead, just to be sure no garden fairies were at work nearby. There were a few, so she created distractions to keep them occupied, such as setting a sprinting thistle loose, and uprooting the newly planted seedlings who then wandered off of their own accord.

"There," Rosetta landed. "That should keep 'em busy."

Random garden fairies zoomed back and forth across the path, trying to control the rampage. They were far too busy to even notice the group.

At the other side of the field, the earth sloped downward into a hill. Now the crooked old sour plum tree was in sight. Other trees grew around it, slightly taller and wilder. This was a very unpopular glade because of the dark shadows and overall atmosphere. Very little activity could be seen. Most of it was back in the hectic daisy field, where the thistle was wreaking havoc. Nevertheless, Vidia was glad to be home in her own little glade. It was a welcome change from the hospital, where she had never even been allowed outdoors.

"Try to find a bright side," Silvermist pondered as the group trudged downhill beneath the long, wild grass. "When you're all better, you should be able to swim! No wings to drag you down! I bet lots of water fairies would love to swim. That's the downside with water and wings; they just don't mix well."

"I'm not a water fairy, Sil."

Sil gasped and realized her mistake. "Oops. Oh, dear…I was just trying to help."

Vidia groaned, exasperated. "No one is making this day any easier. I wish it would end already! And everyone quit staring at my back," she caught Dess, who had been standing behind her. "There's nothing to see."

They reached the edge of the rushing stream. Only three feet wide, but deep enough for a few small fish to travel by. Silvermist felt bad from her comment and chatted with the fish distractedly to take her mind off things.

"It's too deep to wade across," observed Tink. "We'll have to carry her, weather she likes it or not. And don't protest, Vidia! There are no logs to cross over, and no stepping stones."

"Even if there were, we can't risk getting all those wounds wet," Fawn remembered. "Remember what the doctor said. Too much water isn't good for the stitches."

Clank and Bobble formed a chair with their arms once again. They looked at Vidia expectantly, not taking no for an answer. "Fine." She relented.

Being in the air was no longer enjoyable. Sitting in the arms of others and being carried like a piece of luggage made her feel utterly useless. The weightlessness of flying was gone, there was no sense of freedom, no wind in her hair, no heart-pumping adrenaline, and it was so _slow_! She stared at the bubbling stream down below while being carried. Maybe this was just a very long nightmare…oh, when would it end?

Apparently never. She felt Bobble's arm pressed against her back, instead of a set of wings that should've been there.

Enough twists and turns were in the trunk of the sour plum tree to make an easy climb. But with the pain of moving about, Vidia didn't think climbing was a wise idea just now. "Better to wait until I heal a little more. Just take me up to my house."

They did so. The girls all followed mutely, feeling guilty for flying up when she could never do so again.

Vidia's house was nestled snugly in the heart of the plum tree's branches. It was a large three room abode, built of flexible twigs and the dark green leaves of the tree itself. A huge porch surrounded the place, all constructed of twigs and black and violet flowers. Vidia loved to collect birds' feathers; dozens upon dozens decorated the outside and inside of her home. Gathered into bunches, they formed interesting bouquets. As everything seemed to be in darker hues of color, Vidia's house was not the most welcoming, but it certainly was unique.

"Wow. Where did you find all these?" asked Fawn, admiring some of the largest fathers. "I don't recognize this pattern. Is it from an eagle?"

"I don't know, maybe. I just find and collect them," said Vidia as she was set down on the porch. Bobble held out a hand to help steady her. He looked hurt when she refused.

It was strange having other fairies here. She couldn't even remember the last time she had had anyone come to her house. Suddenly, they all began asking questions once again. "How is your back?" "Was the walk too tiring?" "Do you need anything for the pain? The doctor gave me the recipe for that herbal brew—"

"Please! Everyone just leave!"

They all stopped talking.

"I just—it's been a long day and I'm very tired. I want to be alone right now."

No one seemed to want to leave her, so soon after the hospital stay. But in the end, they dispersed. Rosetta needed to straighten up the craziness she caused in the daisy field, anyway. The last to leave was Tinkerbell. "Now, Fawn will be down at the base of your tree should you need anything."

"What?! Tink, I don't need a babysitter!"

"Yes, you do. For the time being, at least. She likes camping, and what if you need help with the bandages?"

"Ugh. Fine."

"We'll come back tomorrow, to see how you're holding up." Tink's expression then saddened dramatically. She fought her tears before flying off quickly. "I'm…I'm so sorry."

Vidia didn't reply. She sighed and watched Tinkerbell fly away. The simple act of getting in and out of her own tree would be a struggle now.

She went inside and shut the door. Her familiar kitchen, living room, and feather-decorated bedroom were a welcome sight, but in a hurry, she dashed about and covered up all the reflective glass mirrors. She still couldn't bear to see it…but temptation got the better of her, and she stole a glimpse of her back. Just a quick one.

That was the moment when the truth really hit her hard.

All day she had been holding it back…Vidia sank down onto a kitchen chair and finally cried.

 **I honestly had no idea how popular this story was. I'm so glad I made the decision to get back into writing. My confidence is so much better then it was, all thanks to the wonderful feedback. Every time I read the last part of this chapter, I get sad. After this part, things will start to get happier and full of hope for Vidia. Next up: a trip to the Winter Woods.**


	4. Words of Wisdom

Chapter Four: Words of Wisdom

Queen Clarion sighed and leaned back into the arms of her beloved. It was relaxing, just sitting here on the log bridge without having to worry over royal duties. She had one arm draped around his shoulder. The edges of his broken wing brushed her fingertips, reminding her of that fateful day long ago—and of the problem at hand.

Lord Milori was such a comfort. He held her free hand in a tender way. His simple, cool touch was more than enough.

The two rulers were sitting alone at the border. No attendants, no ministers; just them. He lounged in the winter side, and she in the warm, leaning into his arms. A few snowflakes from winter danced down into their embrace. This would have been a beautifully peaceful moment if not for the circumstances.

"I don't know what else to do, Milori," Clarion finished explaining. "My best fast-flyer can fly no more; she has barely left her home in weeks. Her friends have done everything they can to console her. Never has a fairy been in more despair."

Milori countered. "Never, Clarion?"

Clarion twisted around to look at him. "You see where I'm heading, then?"

"Yes, I see," He stroked her hair. "I know what she feels, though perhaps not as deeply."

"I never did ask you: what was it like, knowing you would never fly again?"

Milori thought about this for a minute before giving his answer. "It was…devastating at first. It was almost like losing a limb, for wings are so easy to take for granted. Once they are taken, getting from one place to another suddenly turns into a grand quest." He reminisced about the past for a moment. "And because of it, I lost you for a time, Clarion…after losing my wing, I learned how to adapt and live again, though. There are always ways to overcome the obstacles."

"Will you speak with Vidia? Teach her how to live again?" Clarion grasped his chilly hands.

"Yes. I will try. A fast-flyer may be a challenge; I promise to do my best."

"Oh, thank you," she hugged him, glad that no attendants were around to pry. Being alone was a rare moment for a ruler. "She even turned me away, when I went to her myself."

"Even you?" His eyebrows rose.

"Even me. You have your work cut out for you. I'll bring her here in the morning. Hopefully all will go well."

"Will you come by afterwards?" Clarion nodded. That was when Milori lovingly kissed her; a kiss full of comfort and reassurance. "Good," he said. "All the better. Try not to worry so, my dear. Even when all seems lost, there is always something to live for. Vidia will heal in her own way. She just needs to find it."

…

At last every one of the stitches was out. Vidia didn't have to worry about tearing anything, and she was no longer in physical pain. Fawn had been an excellent nurse. She had checked in on Vidia several times a way and helped change the bandages diligently. So far, she had been the only one allowed inside Vidia's house. She also called in her bird friends to carry Vidia to checkups at the hospital; it was the only time the fast-flyer ventured outside.

Now that Fawn was no longer needed as a nurse, she had returned to her own home with the other animal talents. In a way, this was good. It forced Vidia to fend for herself. But she still did not want to go outside. The last few weeks had been spent resting, sleeping, eating, and making tiny cyclones with one finger out of boredom.

She managed a weak smile. _At least I can still do_ this. She thought, making the whirlwind move about the kitchen. The feather bouquets fluttered about. She blew them back into place whenever they flew onto the floor.

The practice only improved her mood for a short time.

A big mirror hung on her bedroom wall. She was getting used to the wingless reflection looking back. The scars still bothered her, though. A long one cut down the side of her face, winding ones came onto her abdomen, a few were on each arm, and the three gargantuan slashes had left cruel, permanent marks on her back. In her old, familiar clothes, most of the scars were mercifully covered. But it was hard getting dressed every morning, when she would have to look at them and be reminded of that day.

Leaving the plum tree was so grim! Sometimes she went down to the stream for water, and there were always fairies hanging around who stared hard at her empty back. It made her want to run back inside.

The tinkers had modified the outside of the tree. Tinkerbell designed a winding staircase that twisted up the old trunk and led straight to the porch; simple, easy to use, and safe. Bobble and Clank, on the other hand, built an elevator using fishing reel, fish hooks, a teacup, and some of their own complicated pulley systems.

"No, Miss Vidia, it's really no trouble at all," Bobble had said upon her protests. "With this beauty, you'll be able to come and go much quicker."

She gave in eventually, making Bobble quite happy.

On this morning, Vidia ventured out onto her porch feeling disheartened. The sunrise was perfect today. Colors of pink and gold mixed in with the clouds. Birdsong rang out all through the glade. The sun peeped golden over the horizon; she could just see it through the leaves of her plum tree. A pain spread throughout her whole body just then—on mornings like this, she would normally be creating gentle gusts of wind in the trees using her wings…a tear leaked out of one eye and she snuffled.

A songbird suddenly flew past and Vidia jumped back further than expected. Her heart beat a little faster. This had been happening a lot _. I'm not scared of birds now, am I? I wasn't before…_

A sparkling flicker from below broke her thoughts. She peered over the railing and saw the golden wings of Queen Clarion, of all fairies! The Queen was flying up slowly with a cool face and folded hands. Four attendants in uniform accompanied her, but stayed back a respectful distance.

 _Not again. I told her to go away, already! Why will no one listen?_ Vidia tried to stay calm. Maybe she had been too rude to the Queen last time…she tended to do that without realizing.

Clarion landed in front of Vidia with a regal grace that only she could perfect. She observed the fast-flyer with an odd expression: very sorrowful, but smiling in a motherly sort of way. She waved to the attendants who flew down and out of sight. Vidia was careful to keep her back facing away from them. Some had stared far longer than was comfortable.

"Hello again, Vidia," said the Queen lightly.

"Why are you here again?" Vidia demanded. She spoke like her normal, spiteful self. "I told you, I don't want to see anybody."

"My dear, you can't very well stay up here forever."

"Watch me." She crossed her arms, mustering a scowl.

"Vidia," Clarion scolded calmly. "Come with me to the border. I know someone who will be able to help you. So hurry up and get ready. And remember to dress warmly."

Vidia opened her mouth, about to protest. But something in the Queen's kind gaze stopped her from doing so. She _was_ only trying to help, and she had just given a direct order. No one ever dared to ignore orders from the Queen…So Vidia sighed and begrudgingly went inside to fetch a scarf. There was no telling what to expect.

…

Vidia had wondered if she would receive a scolding for being impolite to the Queen, and instead was flown by owl all the way to the border. Dressed in winter clothes, earmuffs and a purple scarf, she realized there would be no need to find a frost fairy to get her non-existent wings frosted.

Lord Milori stood waiting in the falling snow with his own owl, a white-feathered bird that looked around quizzically. "Ah, you're here."

Clarion approached the border, but did not cross. Vidia walked beside her with a sullen face. "Go and spend some time with Milori, my dear. It may be just what you need."

"But—"

"Consider it another order, Vidia. We believe it will do you good." Clarion's voice was gentle. She reached into winter and held Milori's hand briefly. "I'll see you at sunset, then?"

"As always." He kissed her cheek.

Vidia rolled her eyes. _Enough with the romance, you two._

"Now then," he turned to the fast-flyer. "Come with me, Vidia."

She crossed over into the snow. The queen waved them goodbye as they walked off, before she herself flew away back into the warm seasons, attendants and all.

Winter was an extremely silent season compared to the others. There were not as many birds singing. The rivers and pools were frozen solid, never running. Falling snow was basically frozen rain, but absolutely soundless. Your breath came out in a cloud. The only sound heard was the crunching of snow under your boots. Owls were a notoriously quiet species; their soft feathers made for noiseless flight. Vidia had been cautious during the ride to get here, and now she found herself putting Milori between her and his own owl. She wasn't sure if she would ever trust birds again.

Milori noticed this wariness. "Do the birds frighten you, now?"

Vidia crossed her arms defiantly…but what was the point in hiding it? "Well…"

"It's understandable. I wish to help you heal completely. Losing one's wings is not easy; believe me, I know how it is. The path to recovery will be a long one. There will be new fears, newfound weaknesses, and self-consciousness. But there will also be new strengths which will take time to discover."

Vidia frowned. She doubted it.

"So tell me: how have you been these last few weeks?" He was earnest as they walked through the Winter Woods. Black and white trees stretched high up with settled snow on each branch. A few frost fairies were up there playing, but their laughter did nothing to lighten the mood. Milori's owl was following them, but flying high up in the tree branches to allow the two a private talk.

Vidia finally answered. Since no one else was around, she thought it safe to finally get some things off her chest. "Everyone is trying to help, I guess." She told Milori about Tinkerbell's staircase, Bobble's elevator and Fawn's nursing skills. "…and they've been bringing me meals, too. But I just want to stay at home. No one will stop staring! Whenever I try to head out, everyone stares."

"It will be like that for a while. My own experience was full of gapes and odd looks of pity at first. That's when I began wearing this." He flicked his feather cloak. "Now, even without it, no one notices my missing wing. Just give it some time. Others will learn not to notice."

"Wings were not a part of your talent, though."

"No. But you can still create wind, can you not?"

"Yes…"

"Then I encourage you to practice. Your talent is not gone."

They saw a frozen pond come into view, where winter fairies were having a skating party, a favorite pastime in this part of Pixie Hollow. A few warm-season fairies were there as well, with frosted wings for protection against the cold. Vidia spied Rosetta, Silvermist, Tink and Periwinkle among the group. They glided across the ice without a care.

Tired from walking, she climbed onto a snow-dusted rock and sat down. The skating pond was still a ways off. No one on the pond had spotted her or the Lord of Winter, which was what she preferred at the moment. Milori's words were giving her much to think about.

"The walking takes some getting used to," Milori sat on the adjacent rock. "But you'll find yourself becoming stronger every day. Have you never noticed how fairies tend to fly more than they walk?"

Vidia perked her head up, listening.

"Think of it as a strength to build on. As for getting around Pixie Hollow, walking or climbing will do the job. For those longer trips, birds are the best choices…take small steps," he advised upon Vidia's nervous look at the mention of 'birds.' "Start with something small and work your way up. It would be terrible for your fear to grow."

"A _small_ bird? I hate riding birds, even before my wings were ripped off! I didn't enjoy them then, and certainly am not about to trust them now. How am I supposed to face them after what that hawk did to me?"

Milori thought for a time. "Your friend Fawn may help. You said she was an animal fairy."

"Maybe…she's been a big help so far, I guess."

"Then ask her. It could be the first step on the road to healing."

It was reassuring, having someone to confess all these problems to. Vidia received words of encouragement and felt better knowing someone else knew what she was going through. She ended up talking long with Milori.

No one in the skating party was flying. It was the perfect social gathering where there was no need to worry about looking out of place. She hopped back down into the snow. "Um…Thank you, sir, for the talk." she said as respectfully as she could before walking off.

Milori nodded. Clarion had warned Vidia was not one for politeness and he watched her scurry off down to the pond. He said to himself. "Well Clarion, I hope I am helping in some way. She seems like a tough fairy. I'm sure she'll come through."

"Vidia! You're out of your tree!" Periwinkle yelled as the wingless fairy came onto the ice. "Oh, I have so many questions! How have you been coping?"

A large group hug from her gang of friends wasn't what Vidia was prepared for. Their arms squeezed the breath out of her like a bear trap. They couldn't help it, though; they were all so glad to see her out and about, finally. She shook them off with great difficulty.

The rest of the day was spent in the Winter Woods. Snowball fights and sledding kept her mind off her troubles for a least a while. Milori's words had given her a few ideas, but she would need Fawn's help with one. Without an animal fairy, who knew if it would even work? His words resounded in her head; she had to tackle her new fear of birds, lest it was allowed to grow.

Late that afternoon, at the top of the hill, she paused. Everyone else was getting ready for another run down on the sleds. From this vantage point, the edge of the border was visible. The warm seasons could barely be made out, with their green leaves and golden sunshine of spring. The view kept reminding Vidia of what she planned to do next.

A glimmer of hope was beginning to grow. Just a tiny glimmer—only a spark, really—but it was there all the same.

 **It was so nice to write a little romantic scene between Clarion and Milori. I love those two and like them because they are very noble, dignified and serious characters. Something about their old-fashioned way of interacting is just so irresistible! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this part! :)**


	5. Catching a Hummingbird

Chapter Five: Catching a Hummingbird

"A _hummingbird?"_ Fawn repeated incredulously.

Vidia looked in from the entrance to the badger's den. Inside, Fawn was tending to a sleeping mother badger with three babies. Springtime kept her very busy with all the newborns.

"You want me to train a _hummingbird_?"

"Will you do it?" Vidia came further in. The den was a very private place to talk. Soft leaves and moss lined the walls and floor and a root grew over the entrance. Outside was the very edge of the woods; not the one where Vidia was attacked, but a sunny, bustling playground of acorn trees. Fairies were flying around going about their day, so no one noticed the two talking far below.

Fawn hovered over the sleeping badger to detangle knots from her black and white fur. "It would be more along of lines of 'can' I do it."

"Don't tell me it's not even possible!"

"No animal talent bothers much with hummingbirds, Vidia. Think about it: they're hard to handle, very hyperactive, and far too fast an unpredictable."

"Yes! It would be perfect for me! I'd be back in the air, at least."

"But hummingbirds are more like insects then birds. They flit and buzz around like bees and their attention spans are so short! It's lucky if anyone can keep them focused for more than ten minutes."

Vidia put her hands on her hips, getting frustrated. "Has anyone even _tried_ to tame one?"

"Well, no, not really." Fawn fluttered to the badger's other side. The tangles were very stubborn. There was no easy way to reach them without flying; she could almost feel the jealously emanating from Vidia as she flew around the den. She went on with the conversation. "If one was caught, I could try. But who knows what would happen? They never sit still. Even when sleeping, they flinch. Why not choose another bird?"

"Please help me out, Fawn," Vidia pleaded. "I've been stuck on the ground for weeks! Other birds are too big to deal with right now. Starting small would be better."

Fawn stopped combing and came over to the entrance of the den. She looked at the exposed scars on Vidia's face and arms. All she had been through would be traumatic for any fairy. It was impossible to imagine what a fast-flyer would feel. Being the very last one to see Vidia with wings made her want help in any way she could. It had had a profound effect on her.

At last, Fawn replied. "We'd need a net."

…

"Will y'all tell me why we're doing this?" Rosetta asked as she and Iridessa dragged the bouquet along. "This is my best vase. If it breaks—"

"Nothing is going to break, Ro. I doubt a hummingbird can even knock it over," said Fawn as she led the party into the clearing.

The vase in question was actually a salt-shaker, found washed up on the beach with some other lost things. Ro had filled the holes with the richest, sweetest-smelling flowers she could find. She even gave the petals a spritz of perfume. It was sure to attract both bees and an abundance of hummingbirds.

Vidia walked a few feet ahead and called over her shoulder. "Tink and Sil are bringing the nets, aren't they?"

"They are, sugar!" Rosetta answered cheerily. "They should be here by now. Probably got all caught up in one 'o Tink's ideas; she said something 'bout 'launching' the nets, or whatnot."

"Great. We'll be here all day." Vidia crossed her arms in vexation.

The colorful bouquet was set up near a particularly bright garden. It stood close enough to the foliage for the fairies to see, yet not too close to allow any birds to see them. The tufts of orange flowers would make for good hiding spots. Plenty of butterflies were around, drinking nectar. And already hummingbirds were being drawn in, too. Great jewels they were, shimmering with green, blue and red feathers. Their eyes shone pitch black, but the birds' movements were too quick to take a closer look.

"We're here!" Silvermist yelled from up above. The butterflies scattered as she and Tinkerbell came down from the trees. "Look what we brought! These are great for catching things."

Tink nodded. "I made them from spare parts in Tinker's Nook." She held up two hand-held bazooka-type cannons built from bamboo tubes, bobby pins and wire springs. "The nets are inside, ready to launch. Bobble and Clank wanted to come, but they're busy with another project. They wished us luck, though."

"It was fun testing these out on them," Silvermist struck a pose with her net-launcher. "So, how are we doing this?"

Fawn brought them all together under the orange flowers. "Simple. We just wait for a hummingbird, aim and fire. You'll have to be quick. The birds don't stay still for long, remember?"

Iridessa was nervous. "Won't the nets hurt them?"

"Nah. It'll be fine," said Tink confidently. "Now, let's focus on catching a large one. Vidia, what color would you prefer? Green or blue?"

Vidia groaned. "One big enough to carry me will be fine." She snapped. Her height would pose a problem; bigger birds were the ideal choice. But she couldn't face an owl, like the one Lord Milori rode. Those huge talons brought back terrifying memories. Her scars were permanent reminders of how dangerous a large bird could be.

The friends got into place. Fawn and Vidia hid on the ground, under some tall grass to watch the vase. Sil and Tink perched up in the flowering bushes, armed and ready. Dess and Ro were backups with extra nets, just in case something went wrong with the launchers. It only took a few minutes of silence until a hummingbird came to investigate Rosetta's vase.

Vidia gave the signal and the nets were let loose with a small ' _Twang_!'

"Got one! C'mon!" Fawn ran out of the shadows.

Their quarry was a dull-blue, speckled thing, all tangled up and flitting around madly. "Easy, easy. Calm down…" Fawn laid her hands on its head. "We won't hurt you…" The bird's wings were pinned to its sides by the net. It was a female bird, pecking at Fawn in defense. The fairy was persistent and patient. But after several minutes of trying, the bird stopped twitching around. Instead it gazed with wonder at the surrounding fairies. Her breath remained fast-past even at rest; they could all see its breast rising and falling with such speed that Vidia felt sure this was a strong little flyer.

"Sorry Vidia. This one won't do," Fawn finished evaluating the bird. "She's full grown, but way too small. You'd weigh her down."

Indeed, the captive was a full two heads shorter than Vidia. So they detangled the bird and let her go. She was gone in a blink, just like a mosquito.

"Back to start, then. Oh, hold on just a moment, y'all," Rosetta pulled out her perfume bottle and spritzed the bouquet a few more times. "That outta lure in the big ones!" As an afterthought, she sprayed some perfume on herself as well.

The next victim was a tiny, green juvenile. Barely up to a fairy's knee, so the net-launchers had no trouble catching him. "No good. Sorry about the trouble, little guy." Fawn told him as he was released.

A third one was caught. A female streaked with natural brown feathers. "She seems like a healthy one," Tink observed. "She's big enough to carry you, Vidia."

"Be that as it may, she's not strong enough. Look at these wings," Fawn pulled out a brown wing from the net. "Too narrow and too short. What we need is a big male bird."

Iridessa perked up. "Oh! That's perfect! The males have much brighter colors."

"Color is not important, Dess," Vidia, getting annoyed, yanked the net loose.

"Of course it's important! What fun would it be if it wasn't colorful?"

"Exactly, sugar," said Ro. "You're gonna be flyin' 'round Pixie Hollow sooner than you think. May as well look good while doin' it."

Vidia tried to smile, but it came out very sad, instead. The thought of being in the air again was happy, but she couldn't help thinking it still wouldn't be the same. Fawn noticed her expression and put a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly. She said quietly, "It's OK. You'll fly again…let's catch the next one."

Another hummingbird was netted and let out a tiny squawk. It was a male, jewel-toned in purple feathers. This was a panicky one…nearly ten minutes passed until he could be examined without anyone getting knocked over. The fact that he was in the fast-flyer's favorite color was a bonus, but his overall nature was unacceptable. The jitteriness was very overbearing.

Fawn couldn't control him. "Get down!" she shouted as the crazy bird escaped on his own and zoomed off into the trees. Other passing fairies scattered in clouds of pixie dust. They shouted out in surprise.

"Whew! This is hard!" Silvermist wiped her forehead. "Can we break for lunch after the next one?"

"Good plan, Sil. I think the birds are catching on, anyway," Fawn had noticed the waits were lengthening after each capture. "Let's try once more and come back later."

This time, patience paid off. Both Tink and Sil's net-launchers were needed to bring down the next victim. It was a huge beast, even for a hummingbird. Ro and Dess flew in to pin him down hurriedly.

"Wow. He's a beauty!" proclaimed Ro.

The bird was an emerald green male, with a crimson throat and breast. His wings flickered with strength. Each muscle in them twitched nervously, but Fawn was able to calm him easily enough. His black eyes looked at them all with interest.

"Not bad at all," she observed. "I think he'll do nicely. He's definitely not as panicky as that last one. Make sure he can't get loose, everybody. No matter how relaxed, he'll make a break for it the first chance he gets! Vidia, come closer. You're the one he needs to get used to, after all."

Vidia approached the bird. This wasn't so bad; his head was at eye-level, and stroking it felt strange. The feathers were very, very smooth and streamlined, perfect for fast flight. She kept her body back a fair distance as she did this. After a minute, she took another step closer, avoiding the long beak. The bird's eerie black eyes followed her every move. "That's a little creepy," she murmured.

"Let's put him more at ease," said Fawn. She instructed Vidia, "Try stroking just above his wings. I find it works well with other birds. Kind of like a shoulder message."

Vidia raised an eyebrow, but trusted that Fawn knew what she was talking about. So she did so and instantly, the bird became less tense. The friends actually saw his strong wing muscles loosen and his eyes really weren't so eerie when he wasn't afraid. He was a remarkably beautiful specimen. He green feathers seemed to glitter just like real emeralds, and his scarlet throat was the perfect accent. A darker green pattern of splotches ran down his tail and wings. Vidia went on stroking him, trying to picture him as a mount.

"OK. Let's fasten the rope to his feet," Fawn told them. "If he's going to be Vidia's hummingbird, we've got to be careful and lose him."

Towing the feathery insect through Pixie Hollow didn't quite go as planned—the fairies were being towed instead. The bird took to the air the second the nets were detangled. It took the entire group to keep him on course, with the exception of Vidia, who ran below until her legs felt like jelly.

"Guys! My tree is back this way!" she shouted. "Can't you keep him under control? I mean, there are five of you and one of him!"

The hummingbird swooped in wild circles and loop-de-loops. His wings beat too fast to even see. His whole body was a blur of green, only a mere streak of color passing through the meadow. The fairies held onto the rope and did their best to pull him in the right direction. It was not easy.

Vidia watched with one of her rare smiles. "At least he's strong…maybe this won't be so bad." She stretched out the aches in her legs and moved on towards the plum tree. Further training for the bird would take place there.

She found a surprise upon reaching the tree. Bobble and Clank were up there, putting some finishing touches on a sphere-shaped pen of woven twigs. Assorted feathers decorated the outside walls. The whole thing looked like a giant ball, about as big as a beach ball, secured snugly in the branches. Another elevator had been constructed—this time using a matchbox attached to the pulley system—in order to reach the sphere's door.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Vidia demanded from the ground. They shouldn't be building who-knows-what here in her home! So _this_ was what Tink meant when she said they were busy.

"Keep reinforcing those connectors, Clank," Bobble advised. "A wee bit more spider web should do the trick. "He jumped off the branch and glided down to Vidia. With animated arms, he gestured up at the twig sphere. "Isn't it lovely, Miss Vidia? Clank and I got to work the minute Tinkerbell told us about the hummingbird idea. It's a pen for it, once one is caught, anyway. Those birds will take time to train, you know. Did you lasses manage to catch one?"

"Yes. It's up there," she pointed at the bird high above the treetops. By now, the other girls were screaming as he towed them along at top speed. "If you plan on making additions to my house, will you _ask me_ first? I don't need my personal space invaded!"

"Oh," Bobble's face fell. "Sorry, lass. It was sort of a surprise. But…the pen will come in handy, though. Don't you agree?"

"Well…yes, I suppose. But that doesn't mean you can come and go tinker-crazy anytime you want. Got it?"

"Understood, Miss Vidia. Come up and see it! We made another elevator, too. Much more secure, this time."

She climbed into the matchbox and released the catch. Weighted marbles on the opposite end of the cable slowly dropped. Bobble rode in the box as well, as it steadily rose into the branches. Until now, Vidia had only taken the winding staircase. She had to admit, this new elevator was a nice touch. She watched the receding grass as they went up higher.

"Until your hummingbird is fully tame, he can stay in here," Bobble was explaining. "And we'll dismantle it once it's no longer needed. Tinker's honor!"

Clank hung off the sphere's side, reinforcing a loose twig. "That right! But I hate making a cage. Who would wanna stay in here, anyways? There's really not much room."

"Aye, lad. 'Tis a shame to have to cage up an animal. But it's necessary, and not for forever. Fawn is a good animal talent. I'm sure she'll have you flyin' around Pixie Hollow in no time."

Vidia nodded meekly.

"Look, we found lots 'o feathers for you! Thought they'd cheer you up." Clank waved a new bunch of feathers to show her.

Vidia finally forced a grin. These two were going to such lengths to help. Se were the girls, as they dragged the confused hummingbird into the woven sphere. He drank from the flowers that were already inside, his green body clashing with all the colors. Tink and the others collapsed in exhaustion on the branch. "Can you really train that thing, Fawn?" Tink breathed.

"I'll try. Give me a few days."

"That reminds me, Miss Vidia," Bobble rushed over to a toolbox and retrieved something. "Here. I fixed up a harness, fully adjustable. Those things are fast; you need to hang on to something! Put it to good use, now."

Vidia took the harness. It was made of lost things from the beach: golden thread from a spool, and shining jewelry trinkets.

This was really happening, then. She gazed through the woven wall at the fluttering bird. She really was going to spread the rest of her days riding the beasts, instead of using her own power. She would never feel the strength of her own wings…this she realized in an instant, as the complicated harness was passed from Bobble's hand to hers.

He noticed the bittersweet tear forming in her eye.

…

Learning to ride a hummingbird was something never done before in Pixie Hollow. She and Fawn worked with the handsome bird three times a day. At first, she was stubborn. He refused to let the harness touch him. Through coaxing, persuasion with sweet nectar, and Vidia's overall no-nonsense attitude, he began to listen.

Vidia was becoming quite fond of him. She like the way he zipped around the sphere and noticed his habit of spinning in place before landing. It must be a trick of his which he enjoyed, like the wild aerial stunts she used to perform.

By the third day, he came when called. This had been done by bribing him with honeysuckle flowers; now bribery was no longer needed. Coming up with a name had been fun. In the end, she decided on Ventus. It seemed to suit him.

Fawn used multiple training techniques. Her way with animals certainly made things easier. Ventus was excitable, even five days into the lessons. By now, he would accept the harness over his beak, but did not allow Vidia to climb onto his back. Every time she tried, he dashed forward and threw her off onto the pen's floor.

Day six finally led to a breakthrough. Ventus let Vidia stay seated as he flew around. He was stubborn, but so was she. She wasn't about to give up.

On day eight, Fawn was ready at the door to the woven cage, ready to swing it open all the way. Ventus was perched on a twig with Vidia mounted and ready, too. Her body was forward at an angle, with feet positioned just above his wing joints. She held fast onto the gleaming gold harness. Anticipation had been building up ever since the lessons started. Now that it was time for the first flight outside the pen, everyone was a tad nervous.

"OK, this is it," announced Fawn. "What a week! Don't ever ask me to do this again, Vidia. I think one hummingbird is enough for me."

"Not me!" said Vidia. "If this doesn't work, I'm trying again with another one." She took a deep breath, prepared for anything. Getting back in the air meant so much to her…"No matter what happens next, Fawn, thank you for helping."

Fawn's mouth dropped. She never thought she'd hear an honest 'thank you' from Vidia, of all fairies. This was something to tell the others later. "Here it goes. Now, don't crash! I'll be flying nearby, just in case. That is, if I don't lose sight of you." She released the cage door.

Ventus took off in glee. Vidia felt his muscles flex and move as they soared high into open air. His wings beat like an insect's as they flapped fast enough to create a buzzing sound.

Training this unpredictable bird may be worth it, in the end. Vidia smiled in the sunshine and almost let out the laugh she had been holding in. At the same time, a sad little tear rolled out. Relying on someone else to fly wasn't quite the same…

She pulled herself together. _I'll have to make the best of it._ Holding onto the reins, she steered her bird into the trees. It was time to start practicing for real.

 **So, Vidia's idea for getting back in the air is a start, even though it isn't quite the same thing. I tried my best to make sure everyone stays in character; turned out pretty decent, I hope. Just to clarify, Bobble has a crush on Vidia in this story, but don't worry, it's just a few hints here and there that I thought would be cute. Nothing more. :) Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

 **Random fact: The name she choose for her hummingbird, Ventus, is the Latin word for 'wind.'**

 **I'd like to give an extra-special thank you to Xandra for the latest review. Wow! I've never had such a kind, encouraging message before! With my social anxiety, and confidence issues, it can be hard when people are too over-analytical or too negative. It doesn't bother me as much as it did in the past, but things are getting much better day by day. This story is all about healing and never giving up, and I'm very proud of what I've done. Your words were so wonderful to read that it made my day! Thank you so much! :)**


	6. Silvermist's Idea

**Here, Vidia finally has a breakdown which has been building up since the attack. When the tinkers deliver a new saddle for Ventus, that's when she finally snaps. A more emotional chapter then usual, so here we go.**

Chapter Six: Silvermist's Idea

For several weeks, Vidia practiced.

All of Pixie Hollow knew of the crazy antics with Ventus. The first and only trained hummingbird certainly was a piece of interest. His lovely green and red feathers were a marvel to behold. The harness he was used to wearing, now. Vidia made sure it was comfortable whenever she put it over his beak. Her steed was unpredictable, so for the first little while she penned him in the woven cage. But she kept him happy, filling the sphere with sweet honeysuckle flowers, thimblefuls of fresh water, and (when no other fairies were in earshot) talked to him.

"Don't give me that look!" she said one morning, while fastening on the harness.

Ventus twitched in annoyance, not wanting to train today.

"You know very well we need to practice those focused winds today. It'll help with pollinating the flowers."

The hummingbird seemed to give a roll of the eyes. He was just as stubborn as his mistress.

Vidia soon became a skilled rider, able to perform impressive stunts similar to the old ones she did before. She could maneuver through tight branches like an insect. Ventus didn't seem to mind doing free-falls in the open glades. They could race along the riverbeds; Vidia conjured strong breezes to liven up the currant and make it more interesting. She liked bursting through the waterfalls, sending nearby water fairies scattering for cover. Large meadows were crossed in a matter of moments on Ventus. On foot the trips would've taken hours.

However, there were also drawbacks to this bird-riding. A hyperactive hummingbird was naturally distracted by everything colorful. On flights through the forest, Ventus paused at every other flowerbed. The scents were just too delicious to resist!

Vidia found the habit extremely irritating. "Can't you stamp it out of him?" she complained to Fawn one day.

"Sorry, Vidia. Can't stop him from keeping up his strength."

With his wing muscles pumping at her feet, it was a choppy ride. Often she would get wacked in the face by a buzzing green wingtip. To maneuver through those tight spaces in the branches, he kept on flitting and pausing with such jerks that Vidia felt sure she would be knocked off. To fall off would mean falling to her death…not an appealing thought. But the rides were getting smoother with each day of training.

When passing the Pixie Dust Tree, Vidia often flew wildly into its depths, for the sake of getting drenched in golden dust…just like the old days. Pixie dust had little effect on Ventus; he was so superbly fast already that dust didn't really make a difference. With him, she was able to keep up with the other fast-flyers for a time. Since fast-flyers were one of the rarer talents, there weren't many of them in Pixie Hollow. But a hummingbird was not a magical flyer. Ventus couldn't keep up forever and eventually tired and slowed. The other flyers accepted him into the gang nonetheless. While in a group, the purple and violet-clad talents sent gusts of leaves swirling through the forest, made entire cyclones of dandelion seeds in the meadows and even combined their powers to push fog off the beach. Vidia was grateful she was still able to do that. It took more concentration, controlling cyclones of wind. She found her powers not quite as strong, but were still accurate; maybe even more so. It was a glorious triumph.

Ventus became more and more tame as time went on. He made his stubborn personality obvious, but quickly grew quite fond of his mistress. Vidia grew quite fond of him, too, though she would never admit it aloud.

But soon, she found herself falling into another bout of sadness. True, it was nice to be flying again, but it was so _different_ from before. There were days when she felt over-the-moon happy, and other days when she was so depressed it was hard to leave home. This was one of those days.

"Nothing feels right, Ventus…" Vidia talked to her bird while sipping the juice out of a golden peach. The two of them sat on a narrow branch, about eight feet from the grass below.

Ventus poked his beak into his own peach and sipped the juice out that way. It had been a month since his first training day and was now tame enough not to randomly fly off and leave her stuck up here. His black eyes blinked as he listened. He was far more attentive these days and could tell she was once again feeling a little down. He gave a small nudge, reminding her who was doing all the work.

"Yes, I know," she gently pushed his beak aside. "Thanks for the rides, bird-brain. But…I wish things were back to normal. That hawk attack should never have happened…"

…

Down below and unseen, Iridessa led Tinkerbell and Silvermist through the bushes as quietly as she could. The shadows hid their faces. If no one sneezed from the ticklish weeds, they wouldn't be noticed. "Now, don't make a sound!" Dess warned, moving an obscuring weed. The three peeked out, looked upward, and saw Vidia with her hummingbird high up in the tree, drinking from the peaches. She had a forlorn look about her and barely registered the fact that an entire peach had gotten stuck on Ventus' beak.

"Oh…" Silvermist sighed upon seeing Vidia's face. "I've never seen her so _sad_."

"I know. It's weird, isn't it? She's been up there for a long time," Dess reported. "It's been happening more and more since the training began. She'll just go someplace high up and—you know—sit there!"

"Maybe flying with a bird isn't working out," said Tinkerbell.

"But she's back in the air; it's what she wanted! What more could a fast-flyer want?"

Tinkerbell had a feeling of what was wrong. She hovered an inch off the ground to make her speech. "It's not just about being in the air. Have either of you _really_ thought about what it's like to fly? I mean _really_ felt it? I guess there's a…a… sense of freedom, kind of, that's the best way to describe it. The sheer joy of taking off and being weightless and going as fast as you possibly can…I bet you anything a fast-flyer loves that feeling more than anything in the world. It's their whole identity! For a flyer, getting over something as big as losing your wings has got to be near impossible. Vidia still has a long way to go."

"Oh dear, oh dear…" Dess grasped her face in understanding. "I think I get it, now. Oh, poor Vidia! What do we do? She's getting more depressed all the time. I tried saying 'hello' the other day and barely got a word out of her."

"And I heard she didn't even want to go with the other flyers today." Sil pointed out.

"Hmm…there must be something we can do…" Tink pondered, putting her inventive brain to good use. "Maybe a get-together with all of us?"

"Oh, Tink," Dess disagreed. "How is a _party_ going to help? There will be lots of fairies at a party, and I don't think she'd appreciate a ton of company."

They plunked themselves on the grass to think.

It was difficult coming up with ways to make Vidia happy. (She tended to mask happiness with spitefulness.) Every idea they had involved situations where fairies were very likely to stare at her wingless back; that was the last thing she would want. In the days before the hawk attack, she was never one to smile often. To see her so mournful and so quiet was becoming strange; disturbing, even. No one had witnessed Vidia even shed a tear over the loss of her wings; not even now, as they spied her alone with Ventus, did her grey eyes even water.

Thinking about this, Silvermist perked up. "Water! Listen, I think we could try this…" She pulled the others in closer so they could hear. Outside the bushes, some ladybugs flickered past, completely unaware of the whispering fairy trio. Had they heard, the whispers would sound excited, but nervous as well.

"Sil, are you sure that's even safe?" Tink wondered.

"Of course it's not safe!" Sil was grinning. "But it might work, right? Let's go ask her. Something this reckless she's bound to love!"

"The things we do to make someone's day." Dess groaned apprehensively and flew out after them.

There would have to be a delay. The branch upon which Vidia and her hummingbird had been perched was barren. No other fairies or birds were in sight.

"Must've left while we were thinking. C'mon," said Tinkerbell, ready to take the lead. "Let's head to her plum tree. If I were feeling sad, that's where anyone would go: home."

…

In the privacy of her bedroom, Vidia examined the scars for the one hundred and fifty-fourth time. She was in the middle of changing her peach-juice-stained shirt and was bare from the waist up, with her back turned toward the mirror—it was a large, old shard of a mirror, jagged around the edges. It looked as Vidia felt: broken.

The scar tissue was too deep to ever fully disappear. They left ugly reminders of that fateful day. On her face, her arms, winding onto her abdomen…the three slashes on her back were still the hardest to look at. Cutting over where the wings had once been; not even wing stumps remained. It was as if they had never existed.

She reached behind to touch a shoulder blade. Still, she half-expected to feel something there. But yet again, nothing met her fingertips. This horrible self-consciousness was destined to be a rough battle. Without a tear or even a sigh of grief, she dressed into a clean shirt that wasn't covered in peach juice. Her mutilated torso was covered up mercifully.

A knock came from the kitchen door.

Vidia frowned. "Ugh. Go away, whoever you are!" Taking a final glimpse in the mirror, she thought about adding sleeves to all her clothes, so as not to see the scars on her arms.

The knock sounded out again. She walked into the feather-decorated kitchen and snapped at the door again. "What?!"

"Er…May we come in, lass? We've got a delivery!"

Vidia slouched at the voices. Now was not the ideal time for a visit from the crazy twosome. They were always bringing over things to make improvements to the staircase and elevators of the tree. She opened the door, planning on getting rid of them. But the sight at the door was not the overly-jolly face she was expecting. Bobble's face wore such a strong look of concern that she forgot her anger for a moment.

"Hello, lass," Bobble began, wringing his hands. He was wary of the fast-flyer's temper.

"Yeah, hi!" large Clank greeted cheerfully, oblivious to their moods. "We made up a new saddle for your hummingbird! Thought it might make the rides a bit easier. 'Cause, you know with how fast they go and all. All that buzzing and flitting around has got to be tough!" Over his shoulder hung a homemade saddle of a walnut shell and more golden jewelry trinkets to match the harness. A very lightweight thing, so Ventus would hardly notice it once suited up.

"So, how goes the training sessions?" Bobble asked as she took the saddle to inspect it.

"Er…they're going well, I guess. He doesn't need to be penned in the cage, anymore."

"Good! We'll get to work dismantling it. Um…May I come in?"

After considering, she nodded. Great, now she couldn't shove them off. Not after they gave her a gift.

"Clanky, wait outside, would you?" He turned to his best friend, who had begun to follow.

"But I thought you said we were gonna visit—"

Bobble corrected. "No, I said we were both delivering the _saddle_ , and _I_ wanted to talk to her. So, wait here, please?"

"Okay. Hey, how 'bout I test out the saddle instead, to make sure it fits?"

"That'll be fine, Clank. I saw Ventus down by the stream. There's a might bushel of flowerbeds at the banks." Bobble sighed as his friend took the saddle and flew off. "Clank—not the brightest, but a fine tinker."

He stepped foot into the dim kitchen. He sensed they had come at a bad time, given Vidia's harsh way of answering the door. It couldn't hurt to ask if she was alright. He had wanted to visit, but had been distracted lately by many tinkering projects. "I've been meaning to check up on you for days, Miss Vidia. So, how are you coping?"

That was when she finally _snapped._ An icy emptiness spread through her person. Not another one of these 'how are you' questions! Would they never end? It was all anyone seemed to ask her. She didn't know how much more she could take! "Don't you _dare_ ask me that!" she exploded suddenly. " _Everyone_ keeps asking me that! Every single day!"

Bobble drew back in surprise. "I thought I'd—"

"Oh, no, no, no, sweetheart. I've _had_ it with everyone asking me 'how I'm doing!' Nothing is going to get better. Ventus may have me back in the air, but _nothing_ has changed! I'm still a pathetic, wingless fairy and who knows if I even _count_ as a fairy anymore! Fairies have _wings_!"

Bobble was rigid with alarm. "Miss Vidia, please. You're going through a rough patch—"

"Rough patch?! How about you get ripped apart by a bird and see how it feels! You can't possible imagine…" Vidia's will was finally breaking. She fought back tears which threatened to break out. Her scowl was lessening no matter how hard she tried to keep it. She took a deep breath. "You can't possible imagine what it's like."

Bobble took her hand. "Easy, Vidia. It's not the end of Neverland."

"For me, it is."

"No, it's not, I swear. We're all trying to help."

Vidia had never cried in front of anyone; maybe a single tear, but _never_ a full-fledged cry. This was the first time. She kept wiping her face with her free hand. The tears started flowing and wouldn't stop.

"Shh…it's alright, lass." To her astonishment, Bobble leaned forward and embraced her. "To lose something so precious is unthinkable…No one in Pixie Hollow may ever understand. But I promise you, you will find your strength again."

She returned the hug, burying her face and whimpering like a child. Her tough exterior melted away. Tears were said to relief emotions and make you feel better, even if the situation hadn't changed. She found it hard to believe. She let the tears run their course. Having just a shred of comfort was nice for a change. The sadness had built up so much…back when Fawn had been looking after the fresh wounds, Vidia was careful to keep it in check. To cry was to show weakness, loss of dignity. Feeling a pair of arms around her, she found the courage to let out every ounce of misery.

Bobble stayed quiet and stroked her hair. It was upsetting to have such a hard-shelled, independent fairy reduced to this…"Things will work out, Vidia," he consoled after a while. "Just take it day by day."

She dried her face, not able to speak.

The tinker did his best to calm her. It took some time for all the tears to dry up. When they finally did, Vidia's grey eyes were bloodshot. Her throat seemed to have closed up and now she was even more humiliated for showing weakness. She took several deep breaths as Bobble's pained expression focused on her. For a moment, he looked almost as sad as she.

"Don't tell _anyone_ you saw me like this!" she choked. She swore she would punch him otherwise.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Vidia."

Neither of them realized the door had been left open. New voices echoed around the base of the tree and drifted into the house. Bobble released her from the embrace, suddenly embarrassed, and helped clean her face with a handkerchief so that she looked more composed. She prayed no one would learn of the breakdown. The tinker had better keep his word!

"Vidia?" came Tinkerbell's call. She, Iridessa and Silvermist fluttered onto the shady porch. "Oh, hi Bobble!"

In a hurry, Bobble tried to act casual. "Hello there, lasses! What brings you? Clank and I were just delivering that new saddle."

"I've had a stroke of brilliance!" Silvermist praised herself. "Perhaps we should have given it a shot before. Vidia, what do you think about learning to swim?"

Vidia and Bobble stepped further out onto the porch. "What? I'm not a water talent, Sil. Didn't we talk about this before?"

"Yes, but that was it—just talk. We have yet to try."

Iridessa shuddered. "I still say it's too dangerous! We could all drown or get eaten by something much bigger then us! There's a reason why fairies don't swim. Not even water talents."

Vidia thought for several minutes. She sort of saw the logic in the idea. Right now, she felt completely hopeless, so she replied in a sad voice. "Well, wings can't drag me down now. Sure, I'll try it. Things can't get any worse, can they?"

The girls cheered, and Bobble leaned in to whisper. "That's the spirit, Vidia. Try to smile now, alright?" He then dashed over to the railing. "Oi! Clank! Quit chasing the hummingbird and get up here. We're going to the river!"

…

Fairy wings absorbed water. Everyone knew not to get them wet. This meant no flying in the rain and definitely no swimming. There had been a few incidents in the past when water fairies had accidentally drowned because they wanted to be in the water they loved so much. Vidia didn't need to worry about being dragged under, but what about the drowning part?

"Don't worry about a thing," Silvermist reassured, as if reading these thoughts. "I'll make sure you stay safe. I'll teach you! And if you get in trouble, I'll manipulate the water and have it lift you out."

"Thanks, sweetheart, but do water talents even know _how_ to swim?" Vidia raised an eyebrow.

"Umm…"

The group had chosen a secluded spot along one of Pixie Hollow's rivers. It was like a lagoon, away from the gentle currant, and perfectly still. Tall grass grew along the banks, and overhead was a giant willow tree; it towered above them with long strands of leaves drooping down all around. Below were the silvery fish and above them hopped a few happy frogs, eating some unfortunate flies. The willow offered some privacy, since the leaves hung as thick as curtains. No prying eyes could be found here, for most of the water talents preferred sunnier spots along the river.

Vidia had said she would try, but now began regretting the words. She was a tad nervous. How did one swim, anyway? Sil certainly didn't know. If a water fairy didn't know, who did? Everyone else thought along similar lines.

"Let me go ask the fish. They'll give us some answers," Sil landed on a lily pad and called down to them.

"Maybe we could make a lifejacket, somehow," Tinkerbell suggested to Clank and Bobble. "Any ideas, you two?"

"Oh, this is such a bad idea," Iridessa paced in the air. "Such a bad, bad idea…"

Vidia stood rooted to the spot, arms folded and face frowning. _Honestly, what help would a fish bring? They don't even have legs…a frog would be better_ …Of course! Why wasn't that thought of? Frogs had legs, and could swim well. Vidia went unnoticed as she hopped onto a lily pad. A pair of frogs was close by and she observed their way of propelling themselves through the lagoon.

Staying at the surface and not sinking was her first priority. The amphibians did this by paddling their front legs side to side, treading in place. Still sitting on the lily pad, she imitated the motions; seemed simple enough. Maybe if she kicked or paddled her legs in the same fashion, she would stay afloat. The way their back legs bent and pushed back at the water was more complicated. She dangled her legs in the water and experimented a little. Kicking caused the lily pad to glide about the surface. It was a start, but reality would be different once she was actually submerged.

Vidia jumped back onto solid ground, where Ventus gave her an affectionate nudge in greeting. The new saddle was a nice addition; it had made the trip much more comfortable. Now she could sit more securely on his back.

Silvermist was still talking to fish distractedly. Judging from her half of the conversation, it sounded as if the fish were explaining how to swim with fins only. Sil didn't seem to realize she was learning nothing useful. The tinkers were chatting about flotation devises, and Dess had become a nervous wreck.

"Guess I'll do this myself," Vidia kicked off her shoes. "Watch these, will you, Ventus?"

She waded into some shallow water, waist-deep. First, she tried floating on her back. Her whole body kept going under, though, making her sputter and come up for air. So she waded closer to a rock, held onto it, and kept trying. This helped to get the knack and feel of it. Both ears went underwater as she practiced, so the voices of her friends became muffled and indistinguishable. The general feel of being supported by only water could only be described as a weightless one…when Vidia figured out how to float without grasping the rock, she found she was almost enjoying it. The trick was to keep her back straight.

She stood up in the shallows with clothes and hair completely soaked and plastered to her body. The muffled underwater sounds had been nice—she held her breath and dusked down, just to hear them again.

"Oh no! Did you drown?!" Dess finally noticed what Vidia was doing and zoomed over in a panic. She hovered over Vidia's head.

"Duh, obviously not! This whole swimming thing will take some time…wish it were faster, but hey, at least floating isn't' so hard."

From his cattail perch, Ventus gave a small ' _chirp_ ' of encouragement.

"Thank you, Ventus." Vidia turned back to Dess. "Go and drag Silvermist away from those fish. The frogs are the ones to speak to."

"Righto." Dess took off, still looking worried.

Vidia continued ducking and floating around the shallows. This wasn't so bad, really. When she thought about it, this was the complete opposite of flying. The weightlessness in the water felt different compared to the feeling in the air…but she liked it. Ventus chirped at her from time to time. She sent him one of her rare smiles, glad someone was watching her slow progress. Maybe water would help to fill the missing pieces of her life…it was worth a try.

She noticed Bobble was waving his arms exuberantly at Clank and Tink, coming up with more strange ideas for floatation devices, no doubt. She remembered his words of comfort during her breakdown: _Just take it day by day._

 **Some readers may know the character of Rani, a water fairy from the Disney Fairies book series. In the books, she willingly cuts off her wings in order to swim with mermaids. I should've included her in this story somehow, but allow me to explain why she's not here. :) You see, while I was writing this story, I hadn't read the books for years and years. When the movies started coming out, not every book character was included in the movies, and so the animated characters made more of a lasting impression, you know? I didn't even remember Rani until Ripped Apart was nearly finished.**

 **By the time I _did_ remember Rani, the story was so far along that I couldn't figure out how to work her in. I didn't want her to just suddenly appear out of nowhere; it just didn't really work. So, let's just say Ripped Apart takes place in the movie universe, only. (Sorry, Rani! You just slipped my mind. lol) She would've been great in a tale like this.**

 **Since I wrote this story a couple of years ago, it was nice to be editing and re-reading it, making a few changes to make it even better. I'm so happy with how this chapter turned out! Hope you enjoyed! :) Only 3 more chapters to go. :D As always, please be polite in any reviews you feel like leaving!**


	7. Adapting

**A few weeks later, after plenty of swimming practice, Vidia ventures off for some time alone. With the help of Ventus, she is beginning to find little ways to recover from losing her wings, and this chapter marks the next step in her healing. Enjoy reading! :)**

Chapter Seven: Adapting

The clouds did nothing to improve Vidia's mood. They blocked out the sun, spoiling the ocean scenery lying before her. She crossed her arms and frowned at the sky. "How will the other fast-flyers cope without me? I could blow the clouds away in an instant! It's not that hard." The thought drifted away as she focused on the landscape.

Today was supposed to be a day all to herself. It had been a while since she had had complete solitude.

Ventus was with her, but the hummingbird didn't really count as bothersome company. He was often found near his mistress these days, but was good at keeping himself entertained. He was harnessed and saddled, playing amongst the tall grass happily. Anything bright such as the colorful shells kept him occupied.

Vidia shouldered the empty bag that was with her and marched out fearlessly onto the sand.

This beach was very open. Apart from her and Ventus, not a soul was in sight. It was low tide and the strong smell of kelp hung like a fog. Sandbanks stretched out for quite a ways. Beyond them was the sea going to meet the horizon. Its waves were tiny and calm today, with the cloud cover making the water glisten a silvery-grey. The sounds of the waves soothed Vidia's stressed-out person; the last few weeks had been so full of swimming practice that the barren beach was appreciated.

She kept trudging through the sand towards a rocky area. Since it was low tide, several tide pools had formed. Green algae-covered rocks held them and any small creatures that were now stranded for several hours. These pools were ideal for swimming practice; they were private and some were even deep enough for diving. Here, no one would bother her or get on her nerves. (Except maybe Ventus, who had devised a game where he would steal her shoes and hide them when she wasn't looking.)

Silvermist and the other water talents had been vital in learning how to swim; Vidia had nearly drowned on more than one occasion. As she clambered up onto a slimy seaweed-y rock, she remembered the earliest dive attempt—Sil had had to manipulate the water and lift her out to safety, coughing and sputtering. Day after day this kept happening. Since no other water fairy knew how to swim, Vidia had had to figure it out on her own just by watching the frogs. Eventually she was able to stay afloat without help. Now, she could propel herself forward and backward, and had even graduated to underwater swims. Lately, she had taken to going out and swimming alone without the aid of a water fairy lifeguard. The beach was becoming her favorite spot, for it was not as popular as the tranquil lakes and ponds of Pixie Hollow.

Vidia reached the top of the rocks and balanced on the slippery surface. She laid down the empty knapsack, planning on diving for seashells. Nearby was Ventus, zipping around the tufts of grass excitedly. "Watch these for me, will you?" she called to him, taking off her shoes. "And don't hide them again, you overgrown insect. That game has got to stop!"

Ventus gave a chirp which could have meant anything. He darted back into the grass, chasing dragonflies.

Vidia rolled her eyes. "Crazy bird..." She turned and dove into the tide pool.

Saltwater made her eyes sting, but that was a small price to pay for a small feeling of freedom. It was nothing compared to the adrenaline-filled flying she once did. But the more she practiced, the more she enjoyed it.

She kicked back and forth across the surface. A few sea plants were in the big pool, along with assorted shells and one lonely fish who was now stuck here until the tide came back in. Her ponytail streamed out in a black flame as she moved about. This was a nice change of pace, being away from other fairies. She had desperately been wanting some time to herself. She took a deep breath and flipped forward. Her feet were the last things to go under.

Everything was muffled and peaceful underwater. The plants and seaweed floated about; the lonely fish hid in them as Vidia kicked past. She swam down to the sandy bottom to begin her search. Some of the shells down here were small enough to carry. They would make interesting additions to her feather-strewn home.

Every few minutes she emerged on the rocks with a new finding in hand. The empty bag filled up slowly. On one dive, Vidia made a nice find of a perfectly shaped white shell that would look impressive on her kitchen table. Or maybe she would give it to Silvermist in thanks for not letting her drown during lessons. She stuffed it into the bag with a sense of accomplishment.

Learning to swim had healed a small hole.

Treading water, she noticed the sky was still cloudy. What were the other fast-flyers _doing_? Were they just being lazy today? She couldn't very well help blow the clouds away; a great deal of wing-power was needed to push clouds. She kept on swimming, not wanting to imagine the other fast-flyers at work high up in the sky.

When the bag was full of seashells, Vidia squeezed salt water out of her ponytail and hopped around on the rock to dry off. Her usual clothes had been swamped for a different version: it was a little more revealing, exposing her legs and more neck and shoulders, but was more suitable for swimming. She shouldered the bag and went to go get her shoes.

They were missing.

"Oh, _please_. Now is not the time." She scowled up at her hummingbird. He blinked at her mischievously. "Where are they?"

Ventus chirped from his perch on the driftwood. The trinkets on his harness glittered despite the cloud-cover.

"Fine. I've got plenty more pairs at home." She slid off the slimy rocks and approached the driftwood. "The first time was fun, now it's just annoying!"

The bird hung his head, disappointed that his mistress wasn't up for the game. As she attached the bag onto the back of the saddle, he got a wonderful idea. His head jerked up so quickly that Vidia flinched. "What is it, now?"

Ventus suddenly rocketed away through the grass. His green wings beat so fast they became invisible.

"Hey! Don't leave me stranded!"

The hummingbird reappeared briefly over the bushels of grass. The chirps and calls he made were playful and he popped up and down, in and out of sight while Vidia stared in exasperation. "I'm not chasing you, Ventus. I don't need games right now! Just give me a lift home. It'll take days to walk back to the tree!"

The bird flew a little higher and spiraled up in circles.

"Ugh. Get over here!" Vidia leapt from the driftwood. The wild grass cast striped shadows over her as she marched beneath it. Further in, the sandy ground became hard earth and was far easier to walk on. She picked up the pace, searching for any flash of green and red.

A lightning bolt buzzed across the path, the beat of its wings going in and out of earshot. As Vidia followed, the sound came up behind her, and Ventus playfully knocked her to her knees. She turned to scold, but he was gone again. She caught herself smiling. "Good grief, what is wrong with you today?" She ran off after him.

Beyond the wild grass was a fairy-made path leading back to Pixie Hollow. The trees were very tall here, rising up around an open grassy field. It was into these trees where Ventus kept flying. He went all the way up into the canopy of one, before diving down to weave among the roots of another. He rushed in spirals around a trunk at one point—one of the last flying stunts Vidia had done before the hawk attack…No! It wouldn't do to think about that!

The bird disappeared for a moment. Randomly, out of nowhere, he knocked Vidia to her knees again. He was begging her to cheer up!

This time, Vidia gave in and chuckled.

The hummingbird flew down across the path with Vidia running in pursuit. He was fast; she pumped her arms to keep up and moved faster. The hard earth was not a problem. Even in bare feet, it was manageable. She jumped over any obstructing twigs, ignoring the stubbed toe one gave her. The wind seemed to grow in strength; she ran faster as Ventus egged her on. The wild bird was too erratic to predict. Every move he made was wild and energetic.

As Vidia ran, she began to realize just how strong her legs had become. Sprinting through the field didn't make them ache at all now. As the chase game went on, her legs didn't even tire. She was off into the grass, for Ventus had veered towards a far-off tree and seemed to be waiting up in its branches.

Vidia screeched to a halt to catch her breath. Her chest heaved up and down, but there was no stitch in her side.

From the branch, Ventus pulled something out of the leaves; something small and violet-colored…

"Hey! Bring those down here!" So that's where her shoes went…he must have flown fast, for the tree was quite far from the rocky tide pools.

Vidia broke into a mad sprint. Now to see just how far her legs could take her…all was going well. With the shade of the grass flickering over her, she kept going. The muscles were working splendidly! Her arms pumped harder, building up more speed. Her breath became rhythmic and steady. Air whistled in each ear and pulled her hair back in a waving stream.

Another smile crept up in its own subtle way.

The roots of the tree were reached faster than she expected. She slid to a stop, conjuring up a cloud of dust and dirt. For fun, she created a little extra wind to raise it high into the sky, but a full cyclone was formed instead. She had been putting gin extra practice with cyclones, so she worked with it, making it balloon to such a size that the entire tree could have been surrounded! It was enormous! Perhaps it also had something to do with the fact that she felt happier then she had been in a long while.

"Yes! The biggest cyclone yet! Take _that_ , fast-flyers with wings!" She punched the air excitedly after the cloud died down.

Now, how to get her shoes?

"Of course you _would_ ignore me. What fun is there in letting me have it easy?" she yelled up at Ventus. He refused to budge from his new perch. "Fine. I'll get up there myself."

Feeling her muscles during the run had given her a little boost of confidence. Surely they could help with scaling a tree?

So she began. The bark was knobby enough to get a good grip. She pulled up along the roots with ease—more challenge was made when it came to the trunk. A vertical climb like this was very different from the naturally crooked trunk of the sour plum tree…Vidia took a deep breath and did her best. She had to find the best grips, just in case she got too tired. She always kept three contact points, moving one arm or leg at a time. There was a section in the tree where she was forced to climb at a funny angle; she was actually tilted with her back facing the ground below. More work was requested of her arms here. When the dangerous section was past, the strength in her limbs could truly be felt. Beads of sweat were forming now; she paused while hanging on for dear life.

"…Almost there…" she panted.

The last leg of the climb was agonizing. Ventus' branch began up and to the right. Not many close-together grips were in this part of the tree. At one point, she used her legs to push off from a tiny ledge of bark to reach a knot. Her body left the trunk completely when she did this. Breezes up here were a bit more vigorous and threatened to blow her off course. But she made it.

On the branch, Vidia collapsed from exertion. Ventus chirped and buzzed around in congratulations. "Oh, thank you, sweetheart. Now how about you try it?" she wiped some sweat out of her eye and stood. "Now give me my shoes!"

From this viewpoint, the beach could be seen, with the sea spread out beyond. She could see just how far she had run through the field. The great distance impressed her. It must've been a hundred feet, at least. And she had only stopped once, even facing a tough tree climb at the end.

She stared down at the grass, still breathing hard. Perhaps all the walking and swimming was good for something…she felt stronger and tougher then she had ever been.

She slipped her shoes on and balanced further out on the branch: it rose upward to offer a better view. A violet breeze picked up in the sky without warning. Vidia recognized it as the fast-flyers' work, finally working on the cloud-cover. Any clouds blocking the sun promptly blew away to let in some light for Pixie Hollow. Sunshine lit up the beach, the sparkling sea, the field, and even her face as she admired the view. In the distance was a flock of birds being herded by a team of animal fairies. Golden pixie dust drifted off everyone's wings, lightly settling on the trees. One stubborn bird in particular was putting up a struggle. The talents were dragged every which way in the air. It wasn't a fun experience for them, but to Vidia, the sight was laughable.

A good, hearty laugh finally escaped her. For once, she felt no resentment towards the flying fairies. She thought of Lord Milori…he was perfectly happy without the power of flight…

Vidia got comfortable, sitting on the edge of the branch. A light breeze rustled her long hair soothingly as she let out her ponytail. She forgot about the scars showing, for her mind was busy thinking of the accomplishments instead. Something had been taken away from her, and now she had at least found a few ways to adapt. These new skills needed some polishing, though. There were still a few kinks in her arms from the climb, but the running had been exhilarating! Maybe next time, she could go farther.

Ventus flitted closer to have his head rubbed, glad to see his mistress with a smile instead of a scowl.

"This wasn't _such_ a bad morning, you know." VIdia spoke quietly, lest anyone hear her soft side coming out. What was that Bobble had said a few weeks ago _? It's not the end of Neverland…_

Her eyes became full of a strange determination. "Maybe I can do this…"

 **Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. Makes me so happy every time I read one! Vidia's tale is beginning to take a happier turn. Next time will be a double-update, where Vidia finds more ways to adapt, finally accepts what has happened to her, and then the big finale chapter. It all ends on a wonderful note and I promise you won't be disappointed! :)**


	8. One Last Reminder

**OK, here we go. The final two chapters that I re-wrote several times until they were perfect. :) Both have just the right amount of emotion, and I'm so happy with how they turned out. This one takes places a few weeks later and focuses on Vidia finally coming to accept what has happened to her. And then, it's the finale chapter; by then, it's been a whole season since the hawk attack. Enjoy reading! See you at the end! :)**

Chapter Eight: One Last Reminder

In weeks that followed, Vidia cheered up more and more with each sunrise.

She was a big help in the meadows, aiming such precise cyclones of wind that every weed was uprooted while the flowers remained untouched. The other fast-flyers actually applauded. Every day she practiced running and soon had covered every path and trail in Pixie Hollow. Her speed built up slowly, and long journeys didn't seem quite so long anymore. In the forests, she scaled tall trees, always with Ventus watching her back in case she fell. The record so far was a staggering thirty-foot climb.

All this activity kept Vidia both busy and ecstatic. She was finding new talents to build on all on her own.

Tinkerbell and the others noticed the gradual change. Vidia was still the same stubborn, sarcastic, rude fairy they had always known, but with her new strengths, the loss of her wings bothered her less and less. The friends all worried less about the touchy subject. Still, none of them dared bring it up, for fear of rekindling her depression.

As a surprise one evening, Tink organized a small get-together just like she said she would. It was held on top of a high hill, barren of trees but loaded with plenty of early summer flowers. The Pixie Dust Tree could be seen in the distance from one side of the hill, with a sunset of gold, orange and pink on the other.

Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Clank were all here. Bobble had been commissioned to help build an orchestra stage for the upcoming beginning-of-summer Festival; he hadn't been able to get away. Fawn never showed up, for some reason. The animal fairies had been very overworked in the forest lately, so they all assumed she was too busy to attend. So the party started without them.

When Vidia arrived after a mad dash up the hill, the games began.

Everything was a game that had to be played on the ground: laughable role-playing games, jump rope, and three-legged races and other running games. A few passing fairies joined in and soon the entire hilltop was crowded. Many attempted the running races, but none came close to Vidia's new speed. Her strong legs made her fly across the ground like an arrow.

She had been reluctant to come, but there were a few times when she let her guard down and let out a few laughs.

Tink and the others were glad to see this. It meant life was slowly going back to normal.

…

Lord Milori stood alone at the border. He stood regally straight, with hands folded behind his back, waiting patiently. The evening sunlight shone upon the snowy half of the border, making it gleam. Milori himself was gleaming like an icy statue; his frosty skin reflected the light.

All was very quiet. No winter fairies were near, nor warm ones on the other side of the border. No attendants had accompanied the Lord of Winter, thank goodness. Only his owl mount had come to snooze up in a tree. Anyone else would have spoiled the upcoming meeting.

Milori smiled when she came into view; he loved her so much. Even after all this time, they still kept their ritual of meeting at the border each sunset.

Queen Clarion was like a golden star gliding across the grass. There were a few attendants with her, along with the Ministers of Spring and Summer; they seemed to be badgering on about issues with the beginning-of-summer Festival. The Queen calmly turned to them and said it would be discussed later. They and all the attendants left at her request. When she was alone, Clarion landed and relaxed her huge golden wings. Instead of flying, she half-walked, half ran up the log into Milori's waiting arms. A glowing smile spread on her face and she kissed him in greeting.

"My, you're in a happy mood this evening!" he exclaimed, surprised at the sudden run.

"Aren't I always when I see you? Apart from you, so many wonderful things have happened! I don't know where to start!"

"Is it about the fast-flyer?" Milori guessed. "I know you so well, my dear. You've been so anxious about her ever since that day."

"Yes, that's true. But no more! I finally have happy news to share; I declare it is a breakthrough for Vidia!" The two of them sat down on the log, sitting as close together as possible. They held hands the entire time. "Where do I even begin?"

"Let me help. When did this breakthrough occur?"

"Some weeks ago. Tinkerbell and some of her friends came to me one day, and told me all about it. Apparently, Vidia has taken to swimming rather well. She spent some time alone at the beach one day…"

Clarion launched into the story. Her usual royal, calm nature changed into an animated one; all the while, she was very content. Her lover listened, chuckling upon hearing the antics of Ventus the hummingbird. He had a feeling that would be a suitable bird for a fast-flyer.

A happy sigh sounded out from Clarion when she finished. "When I heard of Silvermist and the other water talents helping her to swim, I worried Vidia would never recover. The sadness is still there, I think, but it is far less so. With every day that goes by, she seems to be getting better with each one that passes."

"It may take a long time to fully recover," Milori said. "When my wing broke, the owls helped tremendously, and my duties as Lord kept me somewhat distracted…" he gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I still thought of you every day." He paused, remembering the meeting he had had with Vidia back at the beginning of the season. "Finding the strength and courage to live on must've been much harder for this one."

"Yes…I hope she will pull through in the end." Clarion relaxed and leaned back comfortably against him. "Thank you for speaking with her. From you, she got the idea of a hummingbird, and from there…well, one thing led to the next."

"You're welcome, my dear."

The two rulers went on talking. This was such a peaceful time of day. The sun created a golden-orange glow over the land. A few fireflies were already appearing and if one gazed in just the right spots, stars could be seen blinking into existence. Accompanying a lone cricket song was the soft-spoken words of these two fairies at the border. Or course they further discussed a certain fast-flyer's return to life, along with other, less extreme events of lately. They could talk on and on about anything and everything.

They felt so at ease with each other that words came naturally. But even when they didn't, silence was just as blissful.

…

Late that night, after all the stars had come out, Vidia could be found at home in her kitchen. Through the open window was Ventus, snoozing out on his branch. He had constructed a nest-like hideout there and was snoring away peacefully. The snores sounded more like chirping hiccups. Vidia checked in on her bird at one point and noticed his sleep-twitches. "Fawn was right; hummingbirds really do flinch in their sleep."

She went back to making her dinner. Tonight was a meal of refreshing cucumber soup, a salad with crushed raspberry, and a bread roll swiped from the baking talent fairies. Actually, she had swiped a couple from them; the stash was in a bowl on the carved countertop. No one would ever notice a few missing bread rolls.

In various places around the house were seashells from the beach. Each one had been retrieved by Vidia herself from the tide pools. The sight of them reminded her of new accomplishments: of swimming, of diving, and of how only she could do this. Her massive collection of feathers was forever growing. No longer did the sight of them fill her with a fear of birds, nor a pang of despair. They would instead remind her that she was still a fast-flyer, even without flight. Her wind powers were more precise now. Ventus could keep up with the other flyers, even if only for a short time. Best of all, the feathers reminded Vidia that she was now that fastest fairy on two legs. That was something to be proud of.

She was glad to finally have some privacy at home. The party games this evening had been wonderful, but she still craved her usual solitude. A knife was brought out and she began crushing the raspberry with the flat side. The cucumber soup was nice and cool, already waiting on the table. As she poured excess raspberry juice into a glass, a knock came at the door. It was a tentative sound, as if the visitor was nervous about being here.

Vidia groaned. "What?" she had spent enough time with her friends today; couldn't she have some time alone now?

"It's me," came Fawn's voice. "Can I come in?"

"Oh, fine. The door's open."

The door opened just a crack and Fawn slipped inside. She shut it silently and remained standing there without stepping in further.

"We missed you at the party. Where in Neverland were you—what's wrong with you?" Vidia puzzled, still crushing the raspberry. She noticed right away her friend was acting strange, and not at all like her cheerful self. Fawn was biting her lip in a nervous fashion, and her eyes were very gloomy. She was even hanging her head. One hand held a little package to her chest that was wrapped up in a soft leaf.

"Well? Speak up, Fawn!" Vidia squeezed more juice into another glass. "Social rules demand I ask if you want some dinner, or have you eaten already?"

"No, I haven't, but…now's not the time. Here, this is yours." Fawn went over to the table and laid down the leaf-wrapped package.

Vidia stopped her work and approached. The package was small and flat. It couldn't have weighed very much…her face suddenly went very white and she prayed this wasn't what she thought it was. A sick feeling was beginning to rise in her stomach.

"I…I found it out in the pine forest today. It was wedged in a hollow tree, very deep down, near the tree where you were-you know, attacked." Fawn fiddled with the end of her braid nervously. "It's why I missed the party. I didn't know what to do."

Vidia gathered all the courage she could muster. The leaf was unfolded to reveal the scrap of a fairy's wing…

"I don't know if it was right, bringing it back. But it's still yours…I'm so sorry…please don't' hate me for returning it!"

"No, it's fine." Vidia breathed. The sick feeling eased up upon taking the scrap in her hands. "It's strange to be holding it…it's definitely mine. I recognize the pattern."

"…You're not angry?"

For several minutes, Vidia thought. Really, what was there to be angry about? This was her wing…it was _still_ a part of her, even if it was no longer of any use. She finally shook her head. "It's just what I need." She held the precious wing close to her heart like a lost friend. "…I think I'll always miss the flying. But I never want to forget it. Thank you."

The little scrap must have been stuck in the tree all this time. It would never again be coated in pixie dust, never again would help a fairy to fly. It was only a useless scrap, after all. But to Vidia, once the fastest flyer in Pixie Hollow, it was a true treasure. She laid it tenderly on the table, back onto the soft leaf. She would care for it, always. One last reminder of the past she would never forget.

A sentimental tear dripped out of her eye. She wiped it away quickly before Fawn could see.

The animal talent did notice, but pretended not to. It was normal for stubborn Vidia refusing to weaken. "I flew into Bobble on my way here. He saw it, too, but no one else knows."

"Good. Last thing I want is a giant fuss made out of this. This is _my_ wing! It's no one else's business."

Fawn nodded in agreement. "He wants to see you tomorrow, though, to see how you're doing since I just returned a piece of wing."

"Ugh, fine. I'll head to Tinker's Nook in the morning." Vidia pulled out a chair for her guest. "He'll only keep pestering me if I don't. Would you like some dinner, now?"

"Yeah, I'm starved. Are you sure you're all right? And please be honest!"

The feeling of dread had passed. The piece of wing actually brought back more happy memories then bad ones, something she was surprised about. No blood stains were on it, either. That was a bonus. She felt no more jealousy towards other fairies, not even now with winged Fawn sitting at the table. Many holes had been filling since that day alone at the beach; perhaps this last little scrap of wing had healed another one.

Vidia smiled honestly. "I'm all right. Things couldn't be better."

"I'm sure Bobble would love to hear that. He was in a sorry state when I said I was returning it to you." Fawn pressed further, for Vidia didn't seem to be cluing in to the hints she was dropping. It was obvious the tinker liked the fast-flyer an awful lot.

"I can imagine. Here, have some cucumber soup." Vidia dished up an extra bowl, oblivious. "Silvermist showed me how to make it; thought I could use another hobby."

Fawn took the bowl and helped herself to a bread roll. She squinted at the unique criss-cross pattern on top. "Did you steal these from the bakers?"

"Sweetheart, do you honestly think anyone will miss a few dinner rolls?"

Fawn chortled and dug in. Still the same old Vidia.

As they ate, both fairies cast a few glimpses at the lone little scrap on the table. It was such a bittersweet sight. Really, wings were so easy to take for granted.


	9. New Pride

Chapter Nine: New Pride

Rosetta's home was so surrounded by gardens and enormous flowers that if one wasn't used to it, the perfumed air was difficult to breathe. A newly planted plot held towering pink chrysanthemums that dwarfed the house. Blossoming vines bordered every window and door frame. All the scents were so overpowering that butterflies were being drawn in from meadows away.

Normally, Vidia gave the place a wide berth; there were just too many flowers for her taste. "Ugh. Typical for a garden fairy." She mumbled.

"Why are we here again?" said Silvermist forgetfully. She and Fawn had joined Vidia on her journey here. The two were physically exhausted, not at all used to walking so far.

"Do I have to explain again?" Vidia sighed. "I have an idea for that dumb Festival and I need her help."

"But don't ideas have to be given to the Minister of Summer? She's the one in charge of it, not Rosetta."

"I'll tell you once we're inside, Sil."

The fairies kept walking closer to the front door. A bee took a sharp interest in them as they passed the chrysanthemums. Fawn had to shoo him off. "Rosetta is in for a shock. It's a rare day when Vidia asks for help."

Vidia scowled in annoyance. "It's not _that_ strange!"

"Sure it is," said Sil. "When you asked Fawn for help training Ventus, I just about fainted! Where is he, anyway?"

"Hanging out with Iridessa. She's spending the day in the sunflower field and he wanted to go, too."

"And he wouldn't give you a ride to Rosetta's?" Fawn was appalled. "Oh, Vidia, your house is so far from here! That crazy hummingbird…he really has a mind of his own, doesn't he?"

"Well, I didn't want a ride today, anyway. I ran most of the way here before running into you two, didn't I? It wasn't long at all." She reached up to knock on Rosetta's door.

In the moments spent waiting, Sil became puzzled once again. She scratched her head. What was this grand idea, anyway? Vidia hadn't even given them a hint yet…or maybe she had and Sil just couldn't remember.

The door swung open. "Good morning! Oh, I declare, what a nice surprise. I sure wasn't expectin' visitors. C'mon in!" She ushered them into her flower-decorated living room, in an especially cheery mood this morning. "What brings you three to my neck of the Hollow?"

"Enough with the sugar-talk, Ro. I have a favor to ask." said Vidia, getting right to the point.

Ro was delighted. "Oh, honey, o' course! I've been dyin' to do something nice for you, after all that's happened this season. But you're so stubborn it'd be like arguin' with a wall."

"Well, this is different. The Arrival of Summer Festival is coming up soon—" Here, Fawn and Sil leaned in to hear better. They were both eager to know whatever was going on in her head. "—and I want to do something…daring, I guess is the best way to put it."

The others were confused.

"Sugar, whatever do you mean?"

"Listen, some of Pixie Hollow is still worried about me. A lot of fairies are still treating me as if I just came out of the hospital! With fresh wounds and everything. It's so annoying! Some are even avoiding me altogether."

"Now I get it!" Sil cried out. "You want to prove you're alright! What an idea. I love it!"

Fawn nodded. "So, by 'daring,' what are you thinking, Vidia?"

Vidia crossed her arms determinedly and went on with her plan before she could chicken out and change her mind. "Ro, this is going to sound _crazy_ , but I think I'm ready to…show my scars." the others' mouths all fell open in shock and surprise. No one could speak. It was the most outrageous thing Vidia had said in a long while. Since they said not a word, she went on. "So, here's what I'm thinking, Ro…"

…

Festivals welcomed in each season with a joyous flair. They were always such happy occasions, full of music, games, food, and dancing both in the air and on the ground. Activities could go on for hours, well into the night. When it was dark enough, the light fairies always put on a spectacular fireworks display. Since it was a warm season's Festival, everyone was anticipating a show full of rich greens and blues, painting all sorts of summery visions in the sky.

Queen Clarion always gave a brief speech towards the end of a Festival to congratulate the fairies' hard work, and encourage them to keep it up all through the season. This year, however, there was a rumor that her speech would come earlier, because Lord Milori had invited her to the Festival being held in the Winter Woods. (Of course she had accepted. Watching the fireworks would be all the more wonderful with him holding her hand.)

This year, the Festival was taking place at the base of the Pixie Dust Tree. There was plenty of room in the giant, grassy space for the event. Any tables or game areas were spread out in a great circle. Branches from the Tree itself spread overhead, making perches for those who wanted to rest or simply chat and socialize. A newly-constructed orchestral stage was nestled between some roots—acoustically perfect. The music would be heard all throughout the clearing.

Decorations ended up being minimal. The trees were so lush and full that there was no need for decorations. Only a few garlands of vines hung around the orchestra stage and on some of the long tables where food would be served. When it was dark, the glow form the Pixie Dust Tree would be a perfect added touch.

It had been an entire season since the hawk attack.

As the sun dipped lower and fairies started filling up the clearing, it was clear that this Festival was different. A subtle, somber air could be felt. It was indeed true that much of Pixie Hollow was thinking of Vidia, the fast-flyer without wings. This was the first big event since the attack, the first event where everyone was supposed to be happy. No one was sure if Vidia would even show up.

Some fairies snuck a few bites of food while waiting for Queen Clarion to arrive. Some walked about the clearing, or sat patiently on nearby toadstools. A good number were sitting in the overhead branches, chatting. Hundreds had come to the gathering this evening, yet not one of them was flying. The music played, but only a few were seen dancing on the grass. No air dancers at all…

It was such a sensitive subject when a wingless fast-flyer may be here. No one quite knew how she would react, or if she even planned on coming.

But she did come.

"C'mon, honey, hurry up!" Rosetta called, moving closer to the sea of chattering voices. "My, the crowd has sure swelled. This is the perfect opportunity!"

Vidia lingered back in the shadows of the rose bush. She was having second thoughts. "Maybe I wasn't thinking straight…"

"Don't tell me you're turning chicken now." Ro put her hands on her hips.

"Chicken?! I am no _coward_ , Rosetta!"

"Then come on out! All that work and sewing had better be worth it."

Still, Vidia hesitated. She was positive this idea of hers would put Pixie Hollow's mind at ease, but that didn't mean she was completely comfortable. Dresses were practically foreign territory.

Outside the shade of the rose bush was Rosetta, tapping her foot. "Well? Do I have to drag you?"

"Ugh…Fine." Anything was better than being bossed around. "You know, when I asked for you to make something simple, I didn't really ask for _this_."

"You stubborn thing; it really is like arguin' with a wall!"

Vidia finally came out from the shadows. For the first time since being nursed back to health, she was showing her scars. The dress Ro had made had no back; sewn of comforting violet petals, it tied around the neck and end in a long feather skirt. Her back, shoulders and arms were bare. With her hair loose and pinned over to one side, every one of the deep scars could be seen. Vidia fought the urge to shrug. Until Ro had made her put this stupid thing on, only Fawn had ever seen the scars. Soon all of the Festival would, too.

She and Rosetta began walking up to the clearing. The garden fairy herself was overly done up in a red petal creation; Festivals were not officially formal events, but this was just like her. "Relax, sugar. You look wonderful. I declare, I've never seen you so nervous!"

Vidia tried to come up with a comment, but failed. She looked down at the ground, but only to keep from tripping over the long feathers. The dim sunlight somehow emphasized the huge scars. Never had she been so self-conscious. Not even when she walked away from the hospital! But she was sure she wanted to do this.

"Vidia!" greeted Tinkerbell. She was waiting up ahead with Iridessa, Fawn and Silvermist. They all came scurrying over, saying inspiring words.

"This is such a brave thing to do." Fawn reassured the fast-flyer.

"It's only to get everyone off my back and stop pitying. Nothing more." Vidia insisted.

" _And_ to prove you're as strong as ever. Don't forget that."

Vidia forgot to be spiteful and was instead a bundle of worries as they walked further into the mob of fairies. This was hard…It was like revealing a deep dark secret, showing all of these scars. But she resisted handing her head. With her friends near, the crowd was bearable, at least. In the branches, she spied a happy Clank waving enthusiastically and Bobble wearing an anxious expression. Ignoring them, she walking on, hearing a few voices die as they looked at her exposed back. Having all these eyes turned on her was a strange feeling. She wasn't quite used to so much attention, and every set of eyes bored into her like hot tongs.

What was the crowd thinking? More and more fairies noticed the scars. Terrence and a few other dust talents stopped talking altogether at the sight. She passed the other fast-flyers, who all had the sorriest looks on their faces. Some voices lowered abruptly to only a whisper.

VIdia came to a halt and said to the others, "Maybe this was a stupid idea. Everybody is staring."

"Just relax," Sil said beside her. "You're only noticing the bad stares. Look over there," she pointed to some other water talents, who smiled in admiration. "They told me today they were hoping you'd come to the Festival. You've really impressed them with all the swimming."

"Thanks, I guess." She wished the night would get a move on and be over with. _All I wanted to do was prove I'm no weakling!_ She crossed her arms out of habit and scowled.

The whispers died instantly when soft golden movements came from up in the Pixie Dust Tree. The glow belonged to Queen Clarion and her radiant wings. She floated into view amongst the waterfalls of pixie dust. A warm smile spread on her face as she admired the large crowd. It was a splendid turnout for this year's Arrival of Summer Festival. A few attendants came with her as she glided down to the base of the Tree, but they flew off to the side so she could everybody.

Cheers and applause broke out as the Queen approached. Many who were perched in the branches dropped down and hovered to have a better view as Clarion landed gracefully. She was on a raised ledge in the Tree's trunk, above the orchestral stage and facing the entire clearing. Every face was turned up excitedly; they were ready for the traditional speech.

Vidia applauded out of forced politeness, but did not cheer or even try to appear glad. Her heart was starting to thump so loudly it was a wonder it couldn't be heard. A lot of fairies had bustled closer to the stage, subsequently trapping her and getting too close for comfort _. It's only the nerves acting up. Thank goodness all attention isn't on me…now, when's a good time to get out of here?_

"Settle down, settle down," Queen Clarion laughed. She raised her hands for quiet. "Thank you for coming to this year's Festival to celebrate the Arrival of Summer. The preparations have been well-kept on schedule and will help make this summer a memorable one! You have all worked so hard and I congratulate you and appreciate all you have done."

More cheers spread through the audience. Anyone hovering did a loop-de-loop for joy.

"As you know, summers are often spent on the Mainland. The troupes will be meeting on the northernmost beach to start the journey. Anyone who still wishes to go must make haste, for the troupes will be taking off at noon tomorrow. Summers on the Mainland are true adventures, and I encourage it tremendously. Of course, if this year is not calling you, please stay. Pixie Hollow is always and forever a wonderful summer home, as well."

Excited chatter was heard from those who were travelling this year. Vidia had decided to stay in Neverland this year. It would mean more time to practice flying maneuvers with Ventus, or training to build up more speed in her running. She noticed the familiar green and red feathers of her hummingbird peeking out from the bushes. He must have decided to follow, ignoring her order to stay at the plum tree this evening. For once, she was glad he had a mind of his own. With the Queen's speech well underway, now was a good time to sneak off.

She made eye contact with Ventus. He could tell she wanted to go and used his beak to beckon her over. It would be tricky getting to him; the crowd was so thick! Vidia decided to risk it and began nudging other fairies roughly, but quietly, out of her way.

Just as she reached for Ventus' harness, Queen Clarion's speech took a new turn which made her freeze.

"…and this spring has certainly been an eventful one. Some may even call it a rough, rigid spring, full of emotion and hardships. I am not only speaking of daily tasks to keep up the season, but also of individual trials."

Here, the audience became very solemn.

Vidia, beautifully clad in her backless dress, exposing every single scar, froze and looked straight up at the Queen.

"You all know of the frightful hawk attack some months ago. This was the very first time a fairy has ever survived—both triumph and devastation have come from the accident…a fast-flyer without wings could not be a more tragic result. Over these months, she has shown such grace, such courage and such dignity that I cannot think of any way to praise her enough. Through sheer determination, she has grown in strength and learned how to live once again. The will to live runs unbroken within her; all those close to her have kept on encouraging without stop. She has faced so many challenges and hardships that many would find hard to even comprehend! Yet she has tackled them and triumphed."

Vidia stared at these words, mystified. She was vaguely aware of surrounding fairies watching her in admiration. Suddenly she didn't feel like taking off anymore.

"Losing a set of wings is no easy loss…Vidia," Clarion found the fast-flyer in the crowd and addressed her. "You have faced so much…I truly believe you have earned those battle scars. They are something to be proud of. It takes such will to overcome the obstacles you have faced. I, for one, admire your bravery and applaud you."

The Queen of Pixie Hollow began to clap.

Soon more fairies joined in, even Tinkerbell and the others. Some in the crowd whooped out cheers of delight.

All were cheering for her, without a scrap of pity.

Vidia felt a feathery nudge and discovered Ventus had nuzzled in closer. She rubbed his head and listened to the hundreds of clapping hands. She was a bit lost for words.

Her surrounding group of friends came in a bit closer. All had at least one happy tear in their eye.

 _Oh please, hold it together, everyone._ Vidia thought privately. She felt a rough hand on her shoulder, and saw that Bobble had come down from the branches to join the crowd. The bespectacled inventor was smiling shyly at her, relieved that she had not fled the grounds. "I told you things would work out, lass."

Vidia beamed and listened to the applause grow. She straightened her scarred back and held her head up with pride. It seemed the holes in her life had finally healed over.

The wingless fast-flyer didn't feel ripped apart in the least.

The End.

 **Yay! Finished! There you have it. The very first story I ever shared with anyone, fully posted once again.**

 **This was so much fun to write and I want to send out 'Thank yous' to all the readers out there. (Again, an extra thank you to Xandra for such positive, encouraging messages. You have a heart of gold!)**

 **The idea for this story came around the time 'Secret of the Wings' came out. When the idea of breaking or losing a wing was introduced, I started thinking 'What if that happened to a fairy like Vidia?' That one sentence grew and became this story of how she copes, recovers and fully heals. It turned into my very first fanfic and I am so happy it is back out there for everyone to read. I hope everyone enjoyed this inspirational tale of courage and never giving up.**

 **Love, P.D. :)**


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